


The Hunger Games - Troubled Love

by FredsRavenclaw



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: F/M, Forced Prostitution, Rape/Non-con Elements, Rebellion, Smut, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-14
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 16:40:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23140354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FredsRavenclaw/pseuds/FredsRavenclaw
Summary: Kaia Brooks, winner of the 69th annual Hunger Games, was aware that the Games still went on when you stepped out of the arena, but when she was forced to accept an unusual request from one of her clients, that involved fellow victor Finnick Odair, they crossed a line. She couldn't accept that life anymore. The capitol would soon see that they went too far. Fire and destruction were coming their way.Still looking for a beta
Relationships: Finnick Odair/Original Female Character(s), Katniss Everdeen/Peeta Mellark
Comments: 11
Kudos: 92





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm still looking for a beta, so if you are interested please PM me. 
> 
> Please comment down below. There is nothing that makes a writer happier. ;)
> 
> WARNING: This story will contain rape/non-con, smut and torture scenes. If you don't want to read those or they make you uncomfortable, please leave and don't read any further.

She despised it. Every single moment of it. But she had to endure it all, to ensure her family's safety. It was all she ever thought of when she got on these trains. Every time Kaia set one foot into the horrible city, all she wanted to do is run back to her home. To District 10. She spent too little time there with her father. But she is left with no choice, but to be here. Where president Snow wants her to be. She had to be strong, like always, and cling to the thought, that she would be home in a week already. It would only be a short stay because three days later the annual Reaping would take place again.

Yet again.

It felt like the last Hunger Games were only last week. Both tributes of 10 died on the first day. The girl right in the bloodbath of the Cornucopia, the boy shortly after her. He managed to escape at first, but the careers found him before sunset. Kaia couldn't even remember their names. It seemed like her brain tried to protect her after all these years of being a mentor to two kids, just to see them die two weeks later. But their faces lingered in her nightmares, and never went away again.

But even though her tributes died, the last Hunger Games had a big impact on everybody. Since Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark did that stunt with the poisonous berries everything was different. Maybe the people living in the Capitol didn't notice it, but the president made sure, that the victors were aware of it. Never before did she have this many clients. It was as if they tried to sell them even more, to make the residents of the Capitol forget about the two winners from 12. Not that it was effective or doing that job in any way. The people were still obsessed with the star-crossed lovers.

Kaia sometimes wondered if Katniss and Peeta had the same fate as she did. She knew that many of the victors were forced into this situation. Gloss and Cashmere from 1 for example. And Finnick Odair of course. He was everything Snow wanted in a victor. Charmingly funny, handsome beyond compare and his eyes and smile had a way to make you feel like you were the only person in the room. He made it all seem easy when Kaia struggled so much every time, she had to do it. In the beginning, she told herself, that it would get easier, that she wouldn't feel so dirty afterwards, but that was still the case. She could pretend to enjoy it, to humour her clients, but the self-loathing after the deed was done never got better. It was the worst when she had bruises all over her body and had to call a prep team to make them disappear so she would look pretty for the next customer Snow sent her way. It was a never-ending circle of hate and despair.

Kaia sighed as she looked out of the window. She had a luxury suite on the train, that brought her from her home to the Capitol. The second she sets a foot into the room, an avox would appear and bring some kind of refreshment. But now the ride was almost over. Kaia could already see the skyscrapers of the city on the horizon. She just wanted to get over with it as fast as humanly possible, so she didn't take any more time than needed to get out of the silver train.

There were a few paparazzi waiting for her, but she didn't give them much of her attention. She just smiled shortly at them and then turned towards the exit. An avox was carrying her bag and followed her without making a single sound. Kaia hurriedly left the train station and greeted her chauffeur. She already checked her schedule and knew, that she had little time to get ready for the evening.  
She had a client with a supposedly unusual request. Kaia wasn't informed what that contained exactly, and she wasn't sure if she had wanted to know it beforehand or didn't want to think about it until she had to face the situation. All she knew was that she had to get ready to be on a glamorous party, pretty dress and everything else that entailed, and she only had 2 hours left to do so. A prep team would be waiting in her apartment, and Kaia knew, that they wouldn't waste any minute.

The second she entered her apartment in the city centre there were multiple pairs of hands grabbing her. One girl with magenta hair, that was twisted into a weird updo, waxed her legs while an older man, his name was Morty, pulled at her hair. Kaia didn't say too much to the prep team. She knew by now, that it would be easier and faster if she just shut up and didn't complain about it. She could hear her stylist going through a dozen dresses, that she brought with her. Cissy was always a bit over the top, but she had a good heart when she wasn't forcing Kaia into a skin-tight number. She was brainstorming with the makeup artist about the look that they would want to try for the evening. Kaia couldn't care less. She knew that she would look good, because they would ensure that, so she would be presentable to the people at the party.

"What do you think about green, dear?", asked Cissy, when they couldn't decide. Kaia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, sure.", she said, while she grimaced at the pain due to the styling of her hair.

She always preferred it the natural way it is. Her long dark brown hair fell in soft curls and waves, while her bangs framed her face that was covered in tiny freckles. Kaia didn't like it when the makeup artist tried to cover them. They were a part of her, and she felt strange without them. As if something was missing.

In the end, Kaia was wearing the green dress Cissy was talking about. Her prep team laid everything down. When she saw that not a single piece of underwear was presented Kaia turned to Cissy. The woman was in her late thirties but her dark skin showed no effect of time. She was still flawless with her golden dreadlocks, and the pale purple eyes.

She shrugged with her shoulders and said:" I don't know. That was part of the request, dear."

Kaia nodded without saying anything about it. She didn't want to think about it. Maybe because of the lack of underwear the whole thing wouldn't last as long. The brunette tried with every fibre of her being to stay positive. Panic wouldn't change anything. Not at all.

Only twenty minutes Kaia Brooks stepped out of the fancy car that had picked her up and took a look around her. She was standing in front of a ginormous mansion as she expected. Most people that were able to afford a victor had this kind of luxury. She tried to take a deep breath, but the tight bodice of her emerald green dress constricted her every move. She was aware of why it was chosen for an evening with a client. Her boobs were pushed up as far as possible, while her waist appeared tiny. Cissy told her a hundred times that she looked gorgeous, but Kaia thought that the effort was wasted on yet another capitol party. The dress pooled at her feet, which made it hard to walk in those damned 4-inch heels they had insisted upon.

Paparazzi were screaming for her. They tried to get over the iron fence, but the security didn't let them. Kaia greeted them with a short wave before she lifted the seam of her dress with one hand and started to walk to the grand front door of the party location. The entrance hall was beautiful, but Kaia couldn't be bothered to really look at it. After almost 6 years of being a victor and being forced to attend this kind of events, this stuff didn't interest her anymore. To her, every house and garden looked the same and the at first impressive buffets were nothing new anymore.

"Kaia, thank god that there is at least one person with a brain present.", a familiar voice called.

"Jo! I'm so glad you are here."

Johanna Mason was one of the few victors Kaia would talk to. They came to a weird understanding when Kaia's little brother Tarek died in the arena only one year after his sister was there. The small woman had dark hair that went to her shoulders. Her tiny frame was hilarious considering that Johanna was one of the most brutal but badass people Kaia knew. She saw how her friend won her hunger games and it wasn't pretty to watch. One of Kaia's own kids from district 10 became one of Jo's victims. At the time she thought that tribute from 7 was completely mental, but now they relied on one another. Johanna was one of the only people Kaia could trust these days.

"Those fuckers really went all out. I have never seen so many of us on an event that isn't about the hunger games.", Johanna mentioned quietly, so no one but Kaia could hear her.

She scratched at the sleeve of her light blue dress. The victor from 7 hated anything related to the capitol. Even though she looked stunning in die dress it didn't fit her one bit.

Kaia shrugged and answered:" Everything is about the games. I guess they want people to forget about the last winners. I've never had so many clients before, Jo." She whispered the last part.

She knew that Johanna didn't want to know about that part of her friends' life and what the president made her do, but sometimes Kaia couldn't help herself. Who should she talk about it if not Johanna? Surely not her father, who was only a shadow these days. He didn't blame his daughter, Kaia knew that, but she couldn't help but see the despair in his eyes.

Her mother Sonia had died during an epidemic that has caused thousands of deaths in district 10. The meat they all ate was contaminated. Sometimes Kaia couldn't remember how her mother looked like or how her voice sounded when she sang them a lullaby, but on other days those details seem so clear and fixed into her mind. Her mothers' death was a long time ago. She was only 8 and Tarek 3. She still grieved sometimes but ultimately, she was glad that her mother didn't have to see her daughter in the arena, and how that changed her.

Tarek was a lot worse to accept. He was a joyful boy. Handsome, every girl in his class had a crush on him. He had the same icy grey eyes as herself. Something they got from their mother. But unlike her own dark brown hair, he had strawberry-blond curls like their father. He was a jokester and could make her laugh so hard that she cried. The day his name was picked from that bowl her heart stopped for a second. Until that moment she had wondered what president Snow would do to make her regret her refusal, but then it was clear. He had made sure, that her poor innocent baby brother would be picked for the 70th annual Hunger Games, exactly one year after her. He was only 13 and didn't stand a chance. He had tried to be strong for her and their father. He wouldn't let the tears fall when he stepped upon the stage.

The following weeks Kaia did everything in her power to train him and make sure that he would make it. The older victor from 10, Harvey, a man in his fifties, tried to console her when he died. He survived the initial fight at the Cornucopia. He had turned and ran for his life as she told him. That year the arena consisted of a sunken city. Many died in the first few days due to lacking swimming skills. Luckily Tarek could swim, so he hid in a broken house on one of the many small islands. But on day five he left his hideout to try to find something to eat. Kaia had tried to charm many people into sponsoring him, but nobody wanted to make the investment. He was only 13. They all were sure he would die so they didn't want to bet on him.

When he tried to fish a hand shot out of the murky water. She couldn't breathe. She had to watch as her brother fought for his life but failed in the end. He floated in the lake. His beautiful face in the water. After a second the male tribute from 4 stepped out of it. Kaia knew that she really shouldn't blame him for he was also just a boy, but at that moment she felt hate like she'd never before.  
That was the year Annie Cresta won. When the gamekeeper flooded the arena only the redhead survived and was crowned the victor. Kaia never talked with her. She knew Annie was a nice girl, that never recovered from the games, but she couldn't bear it. She lived because her brother died.

The next day Kaia had requested a meeting with president Snow. She had tried to hold all emotions back as she told him that he had won. To save her father, she would play by his rules. The old man had chuckled and had asked why it took her so long to come to that decision.

A week after the games ended, with a broken winner and a cancelled victory tour, she had her first client. The man, a tall bald citizen from the capitol in his late thirties, had been rough. He had laughed when Kaia had started to cry and tried to get out of his grasp. Later that night the victor sat in her bathroom and couldn't stop crying. She lost a small part of her existence that night. For days she could barely walk. Her thighs were sore, and her butt had red welts all over. Her wrists were bruised from where he had kept hold of her. She had been a virgin bevor that and she couldn't think of a more horrendous way to lose that. Kaia was sure that Snow made a nice amount of money because of that.

By that point, she knew that many of the others had to face similar situations as she did. Some part of her wished she had lost it, like Annie. Nobody wanted damaged goods, so she was allowed to live her life in district 4.

"Can you handle it?", asked Johanna after a moment of uncomfortable silence.

Kaia looked at her before she muttered: "No, but I'm fine." She saw the wrinkles on Jo's face. Her friend was worried about her, but she couldn't help her anyway. Nobody could.

"In fact, I have a customer this evening. That's why I'm even here.", she said with a strained voice.

"Do you know who it is?"

Kaia could see that Johanna didn't want to talk about it, but she tried to do it for her. Johanna always knew when her serious killer side wasn't wanted, but her true self. The person she was before it all happened.

"No. I only know that it is a weird request.", Kaia mumbled. Now that she was at the party, she couldn't help but be nervous. What would she have to do? One man had wanted to burn her with candle wax. Another liked to play with her blood. She shuddered at the thought.

Johanna clearly didn't know what to say. She never had to face that. But she paid dearly for it.

"Maybe we should join the others. We have a table for us victors."

Kaia nodded and followed her friend into an elegant room where most of the guests were talking to each other. When they walked up to their table Kaia saw that Jo was right. There were quite a lot of them present. Enobaria talked with Brutus and one other winner from 2. Kaia didn't remember his name. Augustus? Or was it Antonius?

Next to him sat the most famous pair of siblings in all of Panem. Cashmere and Gloss. Their teeth were so white, Kaia was almost blinded by them.

Of course, Finnick was there. It would have surprised her if he hadn't been. He is everywhere where a good party is or rather where the people were who could afford his company. Kaia heard that he was the most expensive out of all of them. Johanna took the seat next to him. She knew that they were kind of close, but Kaia hadn't talked too much with him in the past. The fact that she was forced to kill his protegee in her games was enough to make her uncomfortable about a conversation with him.

"Brooks." With a nod, he greeted her shortly before conversing with their mutual friend.

Kaia gave him a guarded smile. In that few seconds, she took him in. His golden blond hair looked as if he just came out of bed. Messy in a sexy kind of way. He wore a simple but elegant grey suit with a black shirt and a black tie. Next to the capitol citizens, his outfit was boring, but he made it work. He still looked like himself. Kaia had to admit that he had the most beautiful eyes. A clear mixture of green and blue. Quite fitting for the fishing district.

On the other side of the table sat Beete. Recently he was one of the most beloved victors due to his innovative holo developments. The citizens in the capitol loved it when they got new bits of technology to play with.

On Kaia's other side sat one Haymitch Abernathy. In front of him sat a collection of empty whiskey glasses.

"How are they?", Kaia asked. Haymitch seemed shocked that somebody wanted to talk to him. Most people disregarded him. Many saw him only as a hopeless drunk.

He cleared his throat before whispering: "Better than expected. Peeta is still in the dark about Snow but Katniss is aware of the danger."

"Good.", she said. Kaia grabbed for her glass of champagne and nodded to him as if making a toast before taking a large gulp.

The party was, as expected, like any other Kaia has been to in the last few years. Endless small talk which made her want to rip out her hair. Many people came to talk with her, and she acted as if nothing was amiss. But deep down she was getting nervous. It was almost 11 pm and no potential client came up to her and told her what she was booked for.

More and more people were leaving, and the grand hall was getting emptier by the minute. Kaia desperately wanted another glass of champagne, but she knew that it was smarter to stay sober and keep her wits. Johanna had left hours ago, like most of the other victors. The only ones left were Cashmere, Gloss, Finnick, and Kaia herself. Not that she saw them very much. Like Kaia, they were chatting to the remaining guests. She couldn't even remember what she was talking about. The brunette just smiled and nodded at the appropriate times.

One man, Kaia was sure that he was one of the gamemakers, talked her up and it seemed as if he didn't want to let her go. Kaia forced a smile and a laugh that sounded so cold in her ears, but the older man didn't seem to mind it. His hand was wandering over her arm and got more and more exploring.

Right at that moment one of the waiters came over to them and cleared his throat.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Mr. Alexander requested the presence of Miss Brooks.", he said. The gamemaker reluctantly let me go but mumbled angrily.

After he guided her into the hallway and made her understand to take the stairs, she asked him: "What does our generous host what from me?"

Her right hand swiped a few curls of her dark hair back behind her ear. It was quite difficult to get up the stairs with the kind of shoes she was wearing, but it was not the right environment to complain about something like that.

The waiter with the red hair looked at her before answering: "He booked you for the night. He awaits you in his sitting room."

Kaia gulped. She should have guessed it. They walked silently beside one another before the man stopped in front of a tall wooden door. It was decorated with many exquisite carvings. The waiter knocked on the wood before opening the door. He stepped aside and made it clear that Kaia was expected to enter the room. She hesitated only a second before walked past him.

But when she stepped through the door she stopped immediately. Kaia had expected to see only Mr. Gaius Alexander, the owner of the house and a rich and prominent member of the government that was located in the capitol. But what she didn't expect was the other people. There must have been at least twenty of them. Mostly men but also five or six women.

Kaia eyed the big bed in the middle of the room. Its satin sheets shone in the light. Every person in the room had a clear view of it and all seemed to wait for something to happen. The victor from district 10 frowned and looked at Mr. Alexander expecting an explanation.

She was unsure what was expected from her, so she looked around the room. But when Kaia saw one person that she definitely didn't think would be there she stopped in her tracks. Finnick Odair was standing in the crowd and talked to a few giggling women. Only a few moments later one of Mr. Alexander's employees clapped him on the shoulder to get his attention. He whispered something in Finnick's ear that made the victor look over to her. Kaia wondered about his facial expression and tried to remember if she saw him looking this serious before. Not considering the games of course. Normally he always looked flirty and made jokes.

He nodded and excused himself before he walked towards her. He looked in control and tough. So different from his usual demeanour. Kaia raised her eyebrows but didn't say anything when he came to a stop right in front of her, even though it was hard to not blurt out all the questions she had.

Finnick put his hand on the small of her back as if it was normal for him to do so. Kaia looked at him but tried to hide the surprise. Until that day, both of them kept their distance from one another. The never talked about that fact but it became the status quo.

Suddenly his seductive grin was back, and he leaned down to her as if talking sweet nothing into Kaia's ear.

She held her breath when he started to murmur: "They booked us together. I guess they want to watch." Whatever she expected at that point, it surely wasn't that. Kaia had to strain her neck when she looked into his face. Even though she wore high heels Finnick was still at least 5 inches taller than her. Kaia looked him into the eyes.

"Are you serious?", she hissed softly. The shock clearly visible on her face. Finnick chuckled loudly as if she told him one of the best jokes he had ever heard and put his large hands on her cheeks, but his eyes told her differently. He was also mad at the prospect to fuck her with an audience, consisting of the richest citizens of the capitol. He nodded so softly she almost didn't catch the movement.

"As both our main actors have arrived, the fun part of the night can begin.", Mr. Alexander said while he was clapping his hands. The anticipation visible on his face.

Finnick laughed again and kissed a stunned Kaia on the forehead. He put his arm around her shoulders. With the wide handsome grin he had on his face, he looked once again like the Finnick that graced the covers of all those fashion magazines.

He pushed Kaia gently towards the big bed and said loudly, so everyone could hear him: "Let's put on a show, love."


	2. Chapter 2

Kaia stumbled a bit. She couldn't believe what was going to happen. Never before she had to have sex while people were watching her. Her breathing got faster, and she heard her heartbeat in her ears.Finnick was quite aware of her shock and uneasiness so he took one of her wrists in his hands and pulled her with him. Once they reached the wooden stage, he climbed the few stairs and reached out his hands so she would follow him.

  
Kaia looked in his eyes. She thought that he looked sincere but also had that seductive facade he wore for the capitol. The unique colour of them twinkled in the light and she was sure, that she had never seen a pair of more beautiful eyes.When she stood on the small stage, she could see everyone in the room. Most people she knew briefly. Some were even clients she had in the past. The host, Mr. Alexander, sat in one of the brown leather loveseats. His wife sat in his lap and gave him a kiss on the cheek before she looked at the two winners and giggled.

  
Finnick stepped around her and pressed his chest into her back. His large but soft hands grabbed her waist. Even though Kaia still wore her dress she could feel the heat of his fingers. He just stood behind her and breathed into her ear. With one hand he pushed the brown waves of hair away before he immediately nibbled at her earlobe. His right hand stayed at Kaia's waist, while the other caressed her arm. His mouth left a warm feeling when it wandered to her neck. He bit her softly.

  
"What do you want, love?", he purred into her ear while he was still stroking her with a touch that was as light as a feather. Kaia opened her eyes, she hadn't even realized that she closed them, and turned her head so she could look into his face.

  
"I don't know. Normally the client decides.", she answered quietly. It had to look like the situation she had to face was completely normal. She wasn't allowed to show her fear and tension. She talked herself into putting her hands on his arms. It felt foreign to do this with Finnick. She was aware of his appearance and wasn't completely immune to his charms, but she didn't saw this coming.

  
The laugh that followed sounded more like a growl, but it made her shiver for a short moment. He stroked her hair but pulled on it slightly, so her head rested against his chest.

  
"Should I take the lead?", he whispered, and Kaia knew immediately that this was the real Finnick. The one that looked for a strategy to make the whole spectacle believable. They had to endure it and act as if it was a great joy to do so.

  
She nodded against his muscular chest and made herself whimper as if he said something deliciously dirty. They would get through this. Kaia heard his silent agreement when he grunted in her hair.

  
One of his hands returned to her hair and pulled her head to the side, revealing her slim neck. Without wasting any time Finnick put his lips on her and bit her sensitive skin. Kaia knew he was leaving marks, but she couldn't care less. If that was what those sick freaks wanted to see so be it.

  
The next time he spoke it was louder, so their audience was sure to catch it also: "What do you say, girl? Would you like it if I go down on you? Suck that little nub into my mouth before playing with your sweet wetness." Kaia was shocked as she took a deep breath. She knew that it sounded more like a groan and for the first time in months, or maybe even years, she felt the slightest bit of arousal. Normally the clients told her what they wanted her to do. How she should please them. Never in her life, she had heard something like this before. That somebody was trying to please her, even if it was still just a job. She tried to get rid of that thought and reminded herself that it was all an act to amuse their viewers.

  
"Yes!", she breathed. Her heartbeat was getting faster when she felt that his hand was coming to her breasts. He squeezed one gently but still firm enough to make her whimper.

  
"So, you want that, huh? I would peel that pretty little dress off of you and pull down what I imagine a sexy piece of lingerie. Then I would shove my hand between your soft thighs and put my mouth on you. Would you like that, love? Is that what you want?" Finnick's hands were still wandering around her upper body, so Kaia got goose bumps all over. Breathing became harder and harder. She pressed herself into him and felt his arousal at her hips.

  
"Yes, I want that. Please!" Her voice sounded softer than normal. Even she herself was aware of it. She felt his hot breath on her neck. The spot where he had licked the skin before was still a little wet. As it was revealed to the air, her knees became weak.

  
Finnick's hand found the zip of her green dress and pulled it slowly down. He took a step back and appreciated the skin that was now free to see. A few freckles decorated the pale skin of her back. He traced them with his fingers before pushing the gown down, so it pooled around Kaia's feet. Immediately he saw that she wore nothing underneath the dress.

  
"Isn't that interesting? No lingerie like I had hoped, but I dare say that this is even better.", Finnick chuckled but he still sounded perfectly enticing.

  
Kaia gathered her courage and turned around so she could look into his face. The eyes that were usually relaxed now shone with hunger.

  
"You look ravishing.", he growled and put his hands on her now exposed boobs. One thumb stroke over her pink nipple and her breath caught in her throat. Her boobs were medium-sized but Finnick looked at them as if he had never seen anything like them before.

  
Kaia almost forgot the audience that stood all around the stage. When she heard someone clear his throat she got startled. Her grey eyes left Finnick's face and looked to her side. She could see that all eyes were on them. All were focused as if they were watching a special opera performance. Mrs. Alexander, sitting now beside her husband instead of on his lap, had her hand on his crotch. The young victor almost chocked on her own spit and her hand began to tremble. With her usual clients, she was professional, but that situation she could barely handle.

  
"Focus on me. What my hands do to you. Where my lips kiss you." Finnick whispered to her. He pulled her into him and embraced her almost lovingly. She nodded into his chest. He still wore his most likely expensive suit, so she slowly lifted her hands to loosen his black skinny tie.

  
The man grinned and rasped encouragingly: "Yes, just like that."

  
Kaia took a breath through her nose and told herself to pull herself together. Her small hands played with his collar and massaged the skin that was being exposed. Finnick hummed approvingly when she pulled the tie away from him and opened the first few buttons of his shirt. More and more of his tanned skin could be seen and Kaia caressed it with trembling fingers.

  
Finnick's hands came around her body and embraced her hips. One hand stroked over her butt, while she opened the rest of the little black buttons. Firstly, she pulled his jacket away from him before she brushed the shirt over his shoulders. Her hands were back at his shoulders. The touch was so soft it almost tickled.

  
The hand at her butt grabbed her more firmly so her fingers ghosting over his neck started to shake a bit. She wasn't used to this kind of pleasure even though Finnick had barely done anything yet. Kaia bit the soft skin at his collarbone and for the first time she heard his shaky groan.

  
Suddenly he cupped her cheeks and pulled her up. She had to stand on the very tips of her toes and she still couldn't reach him, so he bent down and pushed his luscious lips onto hers.  
At first, it was an innocent peck but only a second later he sucked her bottom lip between his teeth. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she was aware that she scratched him with her fingernails, but at that moment she didn't care. Finnick's tongue brushed over her lips before pulling it again into his mouth. His hands were going wild at the same time. Kaia felt like they were everywhere. At her back caressing her, pulling at her hair, grasping her chin to pull her up.

  
She opened her mouth to do the same. The very moment she touched his full lips with her tongue Finnick started to swirl his around it. He flicked his tongue and made her breath hinge. Kaia felt as he pushed his still covered leg between hers and pressed it against her sex.

  
She pressed a moan through her lips that was louder than she normally would, but they had to please an audience. Finnick reached for her leg and hooked it around his slim waist. Immediately he started to rock against her cunt. She felt dizzy and she couldn't focus on anything anymore.

  
"Does that feel good, love? Is that what you want?", he grunted while his hands hold her tight. Kaia pressed her face against his broad chest and nodded breathlessly.

  
Suddenly he stopped every movement and said teasingly: "I didn't hear you, love! You have to tell me!"

  
"Yes! Yes, I like that. Please don't stop.", she howled. Even Kaia was surprised how tense her voice sounded. Without further ado, Finnick continued to thrust against her. His lips were on her ear again. He nibbled at her earlobe. She could hear his strained breathing.

  
Much more quietly he asked again: "Is that alright?" Her mouth was hanging open and her lips formed a silent moan. She nodded and forced herself to open her eyes. There he was again. The Finnick without the mask. He sounded almost concerned which made her smile.

  
Apparently, he needed that insurance because only seconds after her nod his hands found their way to her sex. Kaia almost felt light-headed when his trained fingers started to play with her clit.

  
"You’re so wet already!", he purred with a grin on his face. He almost looked arrogant. He was so sure of himself. Like he knew just right what women wanted. She was bordering on being annoyed at that expression, but she couldn't focus enough for that. When his fingers slid into her hot sex she knew, that if he kept doing things like that, she couldn't stay angry at him.

  
Only seconds later he pulled his hands away and Kaia whimpered at the loss of the soft touch of them. She saw her wetness on them, and they glistened in the dimmed lights. The female victor wanted to complain but Finnick pushed her around, so she once again faced the soft-looking bed.

  
"Put your hands on the bed!", he commanded. His voice sounded coarse but also addictive. She stepped out of her dress and kicked it away, but before she did what he wanted Kaia started to free her feet from the heels she wore.

  
"I didn't say anything about taking those off. Leave them!", Finnick growled and he put his hands on her hips. Obediently she put her hands on the soft, cold sheets and waited. He still held her with a tight grip.

  
A few moments passed before she heard him move. Her hands caressed her back and butt before he started to stroke her legs. With his foot, he clarified, that he wanted her to make room for him. She was bent over the bed with her legs wide apart.

  
She felt him sink to his knees and she nearly melted as it became clear what he intended to do. Usually, nobody cared about doing that to her. Finnick kissed her butt once before getting closer to her sex. Kaia whimpered when he started to stroke her lightly.

  
"Please.", she cried out after a few moments.

  
The female victor knew that he enjoyed teasing her and therefore wasn't surprised to hear his seductive laugh.

  
"Well, when you beg this sweetly, I can't deny you anything, can I, love?" His words sounded like pure sex. Like he wanted to devour her completely.

  
Without wasting any more time, Finnick dived right in. With his fingers, he parted her lips and licked the soft rosy coloured skin. He delved his tongue right in and Kaia couldn't help herself as obvious shivers ran through her. She heard a few voices. Now that the sex was getting more interesting the people watching started to talk about it. In the corner of her eyes, she could see how one woman was pushing ono man's pants down.

  
Kaia shacked her head softly to focus on the things Finnick did to her. He fucked her with his soft tongue and Kaia arched her back. It felt so good.

  
Finnick pulled his mouth away and moved to her clit. He licked and softly nibbled the pink nub while his fingers played with her wetness.

  
She couldn't think straight anymore and saw stars. With every second that the victor from district 4 licked her clit and lapped at her entrance, she pushed herself more into his face.

  
"Finnick! I... don't...", her mouth started to form words without her brain working anymore. Kaia wasn't even sure what she tried to say. She couldn't concentrate on anything but Finnick’s mouth and fingers.

  
"I know. Cum for me, love. Let loose!", he groaned before he continued to please her.

  
All at once her nerves were on fire and Kaia couldn't stop the shrill moan. Adrenaline flooded her veins when her vision almost turned black.

  
She panted heavily and her arms gave out. Kaia pressed her cheek against the cold sheets and tried to calm herself. Never before did she have an orgasm in one of her appointments. In fact, she never had an orgasm with another person. Only her own fingers had done so in the past.

  
Finnick laughed softly before he pressed a tender kiss on her leg. He stood up while Kaia turned onto her back. She laid on the big bed and watched him. His eyes were shining with mischief. The desire in his face was so obvious.

  
Slowly, with a teasing grin on his face, he unbuckled his black belt. He opened the button and unzipped the zipper of his expensive dress pants, without looking away. He pushed them over his slim hips and stood there only clad in his grey boxer shorts. The front of them was tented by his arousal.

  
When he made a move to get to the bed Kaia said flirty: "Those also have to go." His eyes met hers. The surprise was evident, but slowly the amused grin came back and with a raised eyebrow he removed the last piece of fabric that covered him.

  
Kaia only got a short glance at his dick before he joined her on the bed. Finnick covered her body with his and wrapped his hands around her wrist. With one hand he pinned them above her head while the other cupped her breast. Kaia arched her back to get even closer. Whenever she looked into his eyes the moment almost felt intimate. She had to remind herself in more than one moment that all was an act. That they fucked to get it all over.

  
Finnick looked upon her face and with a sweet smile, he brushed his lips over hers. It was so much softer than before, but it still had the same effect. Warmness spread through her body when his free hand caressed her body. He pulled at her left nipple and Kaia shuddered.

  
"Are you ready to take me, love?", Finnick murmured while pressing kisses to her chest. For a short moment, he pulled her nipple into his mouth and bit it lightly. Kaia cried out and nodded. She tried to free her hands, so she would be able to touch him. She hadn't even touched him really. He did all the work.

  
He let her wrists go when she started to moan in annoyance. The very second her hands were free they started to stroke his dick. Her soft hand caressed it while the other grabbed his balls. She squeezed them lightly which made him close his eyes in pleasure. She ran her fingers over his shaft and circled the tip of his cock. She could feel a vein on it which she traced with her hand. Kaia noticed the precum on the tip and spread it around.

  
Finnick groaned in misery when her hands left his dick and embraced his wide shoulders. But when she started to talk every negative thought was forgotten.

  
"I need you inside. Please"

  
He didn't wait anymore and positioned himself at her entrance. Kaia spread her legs and waited for him to move forward. She could hear the pants and moans of their audience and she forced herself to ignore them. She closed her eyes and imagined that she was alone with a man, who loved her and tried everything in his power to bring her pleasure. She tried to forget that it was Finnick who was forced to do so.

  
With one swift move, he buried himself in her. Her breath hitched and she could hear his moan beside her ear. He stretched her nicely and his hands felt hot on her body. Finnick grabbed her legs and put them around his hips. He went slow but deep. With one hand he supported himself but the other was running over her smooth leg.

  
"Open your eyes for me, love.", he breathed, and Kaia opened them immediately. Icy grey met greenish-blue. His skin was starting to get a bit sweaty, so it shone in the light. She put her hands around his biceps and gripped them hard when he met a special point inside of her. She couldn't help herself but moan his name when he did so again. She was still a bit oversensitive from her orgasm before and she couldn't believe to feel her body heading towards her new peak already.

  
Finnick slowed down and came down to her. His hands cradled her warm face and kissed her neck and face before kissing her lips passionately. He still rocked slowly into her and it felt almost intimate to her. His tongue circled her own and sucked lightly on it.

  
He pulled away but still traced her cupid's bow before pressing their foreheads together. He looked her deep into the eyes when he paused his lips, so they were barely touching. Finnick winked wickedly before setting a much faster rhythm.

  
Every sound got caught in her throat and her toes curled. Finnick watched his cock disappear in her tight sex. He dipped his hands into her hips while pounding mercilessly.

  
He pulled out of her and before she could question this, he turned her around, so she was on all fours in front of him. Again, he grabbed her hips and immediately slipped back inside of her. She was so wet that he had no problem at all. He fucked her with everything he had and at the same time hitting exactly where she wanted him to. Kaia started to see stars at the angle they had going.

  
"Touch yourself. Help me, so I can feel you cum around my cock.", Finnick grunted. Without thinking about his request, she did as he wanted. She pressed her face into the bed while her hand started to circle her clit.

  
She moaned loudly when he touched one extraordinarily delicious spot. His hands hold her hips so tight she was sure she would have bruises in the morning, but for the first time in her life, the prospect of having marks after an appointment didn't make her want to puke.

  
"Cum! Now, Love!", he grunted while slamming into her.

  
Only a few thrusts later all she saw was white light. She felt like she was falling but she couldn't make herself care about the fact. Kaia didn't that there was something as a so-called earthshattering orgasm but if they exited this was one. It took her a few moments to hear clearly again.

  
Finnick was still pounding relentlessly before he also came to his peak. He groaned with a rough voice while she took his load.

  
Afterward, it was silent for a few seconds. Only their heavy breathing could be heard in the large room. Finnick started to pull out of her when the audience started to clap. Kaia grimaced at the thought and kept her face firmly pressed into the mattress. She could feel his cum dripping out of her.

  
When Mr. Alexander came over to them and congratulated a still naked Finnick for the incredible show, she slowly rose from the bed. The two men laughed with each other and the host clapped Finnick on the shoulder. As if they were the best of friends. Kaia forced a laugh and smile when he said something to her before he left and walked back over to his wife, whose skirt was hiked up.  
Finnick handed her a soft robe to cover herself. He too put it on and picked their clothes up that were lying on the floor. When they both were decent again, he grabbed her elbow and made her walk after him.

  
"Over there is a bathroom where we can freshen up.", he told her silently while they walked through the people that had watched them minutes ago as they fucked each other. Finnick laughed at a few jokes of guests that approached them but when they got to the bathroom and closed the door behind them silence fell over them.

  
Kaia freed her arm from his touch and walked over to the sink. She reached out to get a paper towel to wiper herself down. While they were walking his seed had dripped down her leg.

  
Finnick watched her. He was still standing beside the entrance and studied her. They never had much to do with one another but there had always been a mutual respect. Between all victors. But now he noticed that she couldn't look into his face. With a sigh, he walked over to the second sink and made himself presentable again. Neither of them was saying a single word.

  
When Finnick was putting his shirt back on he stopped and studied her again.

  
"Kaia, I know that this wa-", he started to say but the female victor turned around and looked at him for the first time.

  
"Please, just don't say anything about that freak show. I don't want to think about how they watched us and thought it was a fun thing to do at a party. Like it was perfectly normal to force somebody to fuck on a stage for them to enjoy." She stepped into her dress. Her voice was so cold and tense while talking that Finnick stopped in his tracks. Kaia pulled her dress up and tried to pull the zipper up, but she couldn't reach it.

  
"Let me.", Finnick said quietly. He walked over to her and pushed her brown curls away. Carefully he zipped her dress back up and hesitated before putting his hands on her shoulders as if to calm her.

  
"I know it wasn't ideal but" he once again started talking and she interrupted him once more. He looked at her face in the reflection of the big mirror and saw how she frowned angrily.

  
"Not ideal? That was humiliating. I have never had to endure something like that." Kaia shrugged his hands off of her and put a few steps between them.

  
She breathed slowly and tried to calm down before saying: "Look, I know that it was just as horrible for you as it was for me, but to be honest, I don't want to talk to you right now. Hell, I don't even want to think about you. I don't blame you. Honestly. But I have to leave this house and get away from these people, or I'm going to freak out!"

  
For the first time since Kaia knew him, his eyes weren't twinkling with mischief, but they seemed almost dull. He nodded reserved and cleared his throat.

  
"I just wanted to make sure that you are alright, I guess.", he said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. His hand went through his blond hair and messed it up even more than it already was.  
Kaia pressed her lips together before answering: "I'm fine."

  
One last time she tried to smooth out her long hair and grabbed the door handle. She nodded to him to say goodbye before opening the door.

  
Before she closed it again, she heard a quiet "Goodbye, Kaia."

  
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath until she was ready to leave the room. As fast as possible she took her leave and got on the car that was waiting for her. Her hands were shaking.

  
Both of them knew that she wasn't fine.


	3. Chapter 3

Things felt different. Kaia couldn't put her finger on it, but something changed. After that night at the party, she had spent the rest of the night in the bathroom of her apartment. For over an hour she stood under the soft spray of the luxurious shower. She scratched at her skin and tried to forget his touch.

It was cruel to let her see what it could be and then having to go back to those clients. One man congratulated her on the fantastic show the other night. Kaia wasn't sure if she wanted to scream or vomit all over him. She only knew that his touch felt even more disgusting than before. She had never felt so used.

The two weeks at the capitol felt like an eternity and she couldn't wait to leave. She wanted to see the familiar and soothing fields of district 10. To smell the clean, fresh air on the small farm her father had. One of the cows, Berta, should have had her calf by now. Her father always let her pick the names for them. That was something her mother used to do.

She had never felt that happy as she finally was allowed to leave the capitol. Kaia couldn't even remember how many clients she had in those few weeks, but she was so tired. When she stepped out of the train it was already dark. She could hear birds chirp and breathe in the familiar smell. Immediately she felt calmer than before. She smoothed out her hair and started to walk out of the station.

Very rarely she stayed at her house in victor's village, so she walked all the way to her father's farm. She didn't want to leave him to be alone and most of the time she was glad that she wasn't either. Often, she had nightmares. Her father would come to her and put his arms around her. Like when she was still a little girl. Sometimes she told him what she had dreamt about. He would listen to her and caress her head. Only when she had seen Tarek's face, she didn't want to talk about it. Even though it had been almost five years it still felt too fresh to talk about it with her father.

When she saw the little house on the hill, she felt relieved to be home again. The lights were out. Her father was already asleep when she came home.

The next day she got up early and made them breakfast. Kaia pulled two plates out of the cabinet when her father entered the kitchen.

"Good morning, sweet pea. When did you come home?", his sleepy voice said. His strawberry blond hair was so messy, it went in all directions possible. He wasn't shaved yet.

"Morning, dad. Last night. Quite late.", she answered while putting the pan with the scrambled eggs onto the table. Next to them, she put a plate filled with bacon and a loaf of fresh bread she got from the baker.

"This looks good.", he murmured before digging in. Ever since Tarek, he didn't speak as much as before. He used to tell jokes all the time, like his son, but these days he couldn't bother to do so.

He left after breakfast to look after the cows and chickens they had. Her father had told her that he would be home for the news show about the third quarter quell. That would be in the afternoon.

To Kaia, it seemed like no time went by at all, while she cleaned the kitchen to try to make her busy. All she could think about was what the capitol had planned. The kids would surely have it even harder than normal. The year Haymitch won there had been twice as many tributes. She couldn't imagine what they thought up. It would be difficult to mentor them.

She made a plate of sandwiches when her dad came home. Kaia always felt inclined to cook for her father, all though she knew that he could take care of himself, but she had noticed, that he wouldn't eat much when she wasn't forcing him to do so.

The two of them were still eating when the holo went on. They took the sandwiches with them and sat on the cosy sofa.

The familiar melody of Caesar Flickerman's show played through the holo. He made a short introduction before the camera switched to president Snow. He was standing on the ginormous balcony, from where he usually watched the tribute parade.

Kaia hated this man. Every movement seemed as if he had planned it beforehand. He slowly pushed himself out of his seat and walked calmly to the lectern.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the 75th year of the Hunger Games-", his relaxed voice covered Kaia in goose bumps. The people were screaming and laughing. For them, it was a fun anniversary to be celebrated.

"-and it was written in the charter of the game, that every 25 years there would be a quarter quell. To keep fresh for each new generation the memory of those who died in the uprising against the capitol."

The camera showed his large audience. Most of them were nodding at his words. They seemed like they couldn't wait any longer.

"Each quarter quell is distinguished by games of a special significance and now on this the 75th anniversary of the defeat of the rebellion we celebrate the third quarter quell" The people were clapping again.

Kaia and her father were staring at the holo intensely. She reached for another sandwich and bit in it to distract herself from the tension of waiting. Her heartbeat was getting faster.

Snow took a closer look at the cards he prepared and continued: "As a reminder, that even the strongest cannot overcome the power of the capitol on this, the third quarter quell games, the male and female tributes-" He stopped only for a second, but at the sight of his cruel grin Kaia straightened herself.

"-are to be reaped from the existing pool of victors in each district."

Kaia couldn't hear what he said after that. The bite of the sandwich got stuck in her throat. Her heartbeat was so loud she could hear it in her ears. She felt like she couldn't breathe anymore. Her father had grabbed her hand, but she stood up and left. She had to get out of there, where the voice of that monster could still be heard.

She couldn't tell how long she walked before she sat down on of the many green fields her district had. The tears had dried long ago. She would have to go back. Harvey too. They were the only victors 10 had.

Kaia immediately knew that all this was for Katniss. By punishing her Snow punished them all, even though most of them had played by his rules for years.

There was no way out of it.

The days until the reaping went by much too fast for Kaia's liking.

The prep team came early in the morning to get her ready. Her father hadn't said anything all day. He hugged her after she woke up but besides that, he only sat on the couch and waited. Arista would come also. Even back when Kaia was a tribute in the 69th Hunger Games the tall woman was the escort of district 10.

Cissy was there again. Her golden dreadlocks in a complicated knot on the top of her head. She wore white eyeliner with contrasted with her dark skin.

The other stylists were new. Cissy always changed them up every few months when they started to annoy her. The new hairstylist had pale orange hair and her whole outfit was in a bright mint colour. Her name was Tullia. She had a sweet smile and was surprisingly careful when she braided a part of Kaia's hair and pinned it up.

The makeup artist had a full-body tattoo. Every free piece of skin Kaia could see was covered in black and pink flowers. Vita's hair was quite normal and looked calm. She had black, tight curls that only reached her chin.

"You will look beautiful when we are done, darling.", Cissy told her when she unwrapped the dress she would wear. It was a bright red and had fluttery sleeves that came to her elbows. It had a deep V-neck. They got her a few thin golden chains to put around her upper body. One disappeared in her cleavage.

Cissy closed her dress. It was a tight fit on the bodice, but the skirt and sleeves were light and flowy. It felt nice and soft on her skin. Perfect for the warm weather they had in 10.  
They strapped her feet in golden sandals. They made her legs look even longer than before.

"You look enchanting.", Arista said with a proud smile. At first, the tall blond woman drove Kaia crazy. Everything was about looks and appearances. But slowly she started to like her more. She never held any praise back and was so incredibly proud of her winner.

"Thanks.", Kaia murmured and hugged the older woman. For a citizen from the capitol, she looked quite normal. Only her clothes were always a bit over the top.

"Let's go. We don't want to be late.", Arista told them in her usual singing voice. Kaia nodded but walked over to her father.

"Dad?"

He had looked out of the window but when he heard her, he turned his head. Emmet Brooks had sad eyes and the tears almost spilled over. He cleared his throat and stood up. Without wasting another moment, he embraced his daughter and held her tight.

"Promise you will try to get back to me.", he cried. His voice broke while talking and Kaia felt like she was choking.

The only thing she could do was nod. She would always try to get back. For him.

"I promise."

Slowly he let go and stared at her: "You look just like your mother. So very beautiful." The tears were streaming down his cheeks. Father and daughter shared a last smile before parting.

"I love you, Dad.", she told him silently. If this would be the last time she saw him, she had to tell him.

He nodded: "Love you too."

Arista and Cissy walked with her. The reaping would take place in front of the justice building. Many were waiting for it to start. They stopped a few streets before they could see the stage and Aristo said her goodbye. She would be the one welcoming them there.

Harvey was already waiting for them. He wore a dark blue suit and for once he trimmed his beard. He smiled at her and reached out to her. She took his hand and silently they were waiting for the peacekeepers. They would escort them.

Only a few minutes went by until they came. All of them started to walk the last metres to the stage. Cissy, like her father, was standing at the back of the crowd. Kaia went up the stairs. She had to concentrate to not stumble with the heels.

Kaia and Harvey were standing on either side of Arista, but a few feet distanced them from the escort.

"Welcome, my dears, to the reaping for the 75th annual Hunger Games. The big quarter quell.", Arista spoke into the microphone. Her voice could be heard everywhere in district 10.

"As usual: ladies first!", she said and walked over to the bowl in front of Kaia. Everything was just a show. All of them knew, that in both bowls each contained only one note with a name. So, it was no surprise when her name was called out.

As if in trance, the former victor stepped beside the tall woman and waited for the name of her fellow winner to be called out.

Before the reaping Harvey and she had decided to not smile into the cameras. They would just stand there. Brave but silent. They even held hands when they were escorted into the building behind them.  
Everything happened so fast. Only minutes after the ceremony they entered the silver train.

Arista, who would take the part to look for sponsors told them to sit down. A servant put a holo down in front of them and turned it on.

"I had somebody record the reaping of the other districts so we could see who was selected.", Arista rambled. She was clearly nervous. It was a completely new challenge for her.

District 1 would be a challenge for them, Kaia thought, when she saw that Cashmere and Gloss were picked. They would be the perfect team. Like one person with four arms. She frowned when Enobaria and Brutus were selected for 2. She hated that woman. She enjoyed the Hunger Games and watching the children getting killed too much for her liking. Wiress and Beete would go for 3. There weren't many alternatives. Only one other female winner.

But district four made her swallow hard. There were many possible tributes. She pitied the red-haired Annie that was selected once more. She cried and broke down and only calmed down when she saw that Mags, the lovely old lady, volunteered for her. Finnick walked over to the new tribute and hugged her tightly. Kaia knew that Mags had been his mentor and dear friend.

Although she felt so sorry for her, all she could was look at Finick. He was still so very handsome as on that night almost three weeks ago. But his eyes were somehow different. Maybe because of the fact, that Mags would probably die.

The peacekeepers told Finnick to walk back to his place so they could continue with the ceremony.

The escort of 4 put her hand into the bowl with the male victors. There were a few of them. District 4 was after all a career district. Kaia didn't notice how her hands clasped her knees tensely.

When she heard his name being called, she couldn't believe it. She knew that Johanna had to go back. 7 hand only male victors beside her. But now also Finnick would be forced to go back. How would she survive that? Not only were those people lethal but she also considered them as friends. Well Johana and Mags, but she didn't want to kill neither Finnick nor Wiress, Beete or the district 12 tributes.

They ate lunch but Kaia couldn't concentrate on the conversation. She couldn't think but about the fact that she would probably die. She had no chance against these people. She won due to sheer luck and very little skills. She was quite good with knives, due to being raised on a farm where they butchered animals for a living. She knew which body parts she had to hit to kill, but against these experienced killers, she was nothing. Maybe she would survive the first few days by running away from the rest, but that was it.

That night she couldn't sleep. She turned from one side to the other. At one point she gave up and left her bed. It was still very early and a few hours later they would reach the capitol. Kaia knew the ride by heart by now.

She stepped into the comfy sitting room where they were before and sat down on one of the purple loveseats.  
Without thinking much, she turned on the holo and rewatched the reaping.

This time, from the very beginning, her eyes were focused on Finnick. He wore a white sweater that still hugged him nicely. His golden hair looked like somebody had run his fingers through it to mess it up, but his sea-green eyes were still his most prominent feature. Kaia couldn't stop but look into them and study where he looked.

She was sure it would be awkward to see him again. She had been honest when she told him that she didn't blame him for any of it. He just seemed to be able to deal with it, while she almost broke that night. That had been one step too far for her.

So, she wasn't excited when the other woke up and Arista told her that they would arrive shortly after.

The train station was packed with people who were screaming their names. The security men protected the team from the crowd and cleared a path for them.

Half an hour later they got to preparation house. There they would be styled for the chariot rides to participate in the tribute parade.

The whole affair was still hours away, but they started immediately.

The team once again checked her body for any unwanted hair and ripped them out. Cissy was making a few last-minute changes in her outfit. Kaia was curious about what she would wear. Normally the tributes from nine were either dressed like cowboys or even cows. A few months before Cissy told her that she had an idea for something different. Something more interesting.

Four hours after she entered the room Kaia couldn't recognize herself. She was often styled by a professional team but never in her life had she seen anything like this before.

The sleeveless dress she wore was very simple but elegant. It was very tight and stopped at the middle of her shins. It was made of the softest suede in a warm brown. The shoes were similar to the ones the wore at the reaping. The golden chains also were back, but she wore much more that day.

The highlight was the tall headpiece. On both sides of Kaia's head, Tullia had put big antlers. Even though to Kais it was obvious that they weren't from a cow they were still incredible. The same golden chains she wore around her neck were attached to them. On some of them were tiny bells.

"This is great, Cissy. I believe it's your best creation.", she said, while touching the soft fabric of her dress.

"Thank you, darling. You make it work.", Cissy smiled. The older woman put her hand on Kaia's back and escorted her to the grant room where the chariots were waiting.

Most of the other tributes were already there. Harvey wore similar antlers and a sued suit. He smiled at her while both were standing beside their chariot. The black horses were getting restless.

"Definitely better than a cowgirl, don't you think, love?"

Kaia stopped in her tracks and turned to the left. There he was.

"Finnick. You are naked, I see.", she forced herself to talk calmly. She took him in and raised her eyebrow at the daring outfit. The only thing that covered his muscular body was a piece of rope that was knotted in a delicate way to cover the important bits.

"My stylist believes that less is more. What do you think, love?", he purred seductively. His eyes were shining with mischief once more. They didn't look as dull as the last time they saw one another. His grin was positively charming.

Kaia's heartbeat was rising as she looked in the face of this very handsome man. She couldn't pretend that he wasn't.

"Well, I'm much more for keeping a few secrets and mysteries. To keep it interesting.", she answered quietly. She didn't want to have this conversation but at the same time, she did.

The blond man laughed loudly at her response.

"What's the point, love? Everybody important had already seen this body.", he chuckled and looked her deep into her eyes.

The smile that had slowly gotten on her face left in a mere second. Finnick looked surprised when her eyes turned cold.

"I'm sure they have."

Finnick's expression got serious and he nodded as if thinking about what she said.

"I have to admit that you are right about one thing. It is good to keep a few secrets.", he told her. Kaia didn't really understand what he meant by that, but before she could ask him, he spoke again.

"I guess we will see each other later. Have a nice ride.", he said. Although his signature grin was back his voice still sounded more serious than normal.

Kaia saw how he ran his hand through his locks and walked over to Katniss. The girl was standing alone and obviously didn't know what to do. She and Peeta were the odd ones out. Everybody else had years to get to know one another, but they were still new to the game.

She looked over to the other side of the room and met Johanna's eyes. The small woman raised her eyebrows and looked expectantly at her. Kaia groaned at the prospect that her friend saw how she had talked with Finnick. After all, that wasn't a normal thing to occur.

Kaia shook her head and formed with her lips: "I'll tell you later."

Jo nodded and the expression on her face made it clear that Kaia had to deliver. The victor from 7 wouldn't let the topic go.

A loud voice could be heard through the speakers: "30 seconds left. Please get on the chariots."

The conversations stopped and the tributes made their ways over to their assigned chariots. It was unusually silent in the room. Everybody seemed to go through their strategy.

Kaia could see how the first set of horses started to move and the crowd outside started to scream when they saw Gloss and Cashmere. One after the other district was presented to the audience. With every new set of tributes, the crowd started to call their names and cried out, only to forget them when the next chariot was seen.

When Katniss and Peeta came out the people freaked out. Once more they rooted for Panem's star-crossed lovers.

Kaia tried to focus on the sound of the little bells beside her head and turn everything else out. She didn't even look at the president.

The whole affair only took about twenty minutes. Kaia always thought that it wasn't worth the fuss the prep teams usually made about it.

"So, 10, what do you have to say?"

She turned around and saw Johanna walking over to her. The tight sleeves of her dress looked like the bark of a tree. She also wore long extensions in her hair which was styled into a sleek ponytail.

"A tree again?", Kaia asked. She knew that Johanna hated the stylist that was responsible for her district. He wasn't very creative in representing the lumber district.

"Don't try to change the topic!" Her face looked serious and Kaia groaned. She knew Johanna would be like that.

"Not here, where everybody can hear us."

She took her friend by the hand and pulled her to the very back of the room. After she was sure that nobody was listening to them, she started to tell Johanna what had happened between Finnick and her.

It was silent. The seconds felt like hours to Kaia as she waited how the victor from 7 would react to the news.

"They made him fuck you..." Kaia wasn't sure if it was supposed to be a question or if Johanna just summed it up.

"Yes.", she said briefly.

Johanna frowned deeply as if thinking really hard about something.

"Have you ever even talked to him before that?", she asked. She was also talking quietly. This was a matter that nobody that wasn't involved had to know.

Kaia was confused. That was it that her trusted ally wanted to know? It seemed random to her.

"Uhm... not really, no."

"So, after everything that happened, he just came over to you and talked."

"Yes. What are you thinking about?", the victor from 10 wondered.

"Nothing.", Jo said. After a short period of thinking more about it a mischievous smile spread over her face: "Was he any good?"

Kaia couldn't have been more startled. With big eyes, she looked at her friend.

"I guess... yeah.", she stuttered, not believing what she was asked.

"Only "I guess"? That sounds bad.", Johanna laughed. Apparently, she had the fun of a lifetime when she asked further: "How was he in comparison to other men you had?"

Kaia frowned and looked at Jo as if she didn't know her: "Well, I don't have anyone to compare him with besides the clients that are forced on me. If you're wondering if he is better than one of those old assholes who like to hurt me, then yes! He is better. The best I have ever had. Happy?"

The laugh got stuck in Johanna's throat: "Not really, but it will have to do."

For a minute there was an uncomfortable silence between the two young women, but they shrugged it off.

"Let's go. Tomorrow we'll have to go to training.", Johanna decided and pulled her along. When she saw that Katniss, Peeta and their mentor Haymitch entered the elevator she started to pull harder. They got there in time, so Jo could out her arm between the wall and the elevator door.

The two tributes from 12 looked surprised at the sight of the two women. Obviously, they hadn't expected anyone to join them. Katniss even looked annoyed by the fact. As if she would have preferred to stay alone with the other two victors from her district.

"Well, you guys look amazing!", Johanna said with a strange sweet voice.

Katniss looked surprised at the compliment but responded nonetheless: "Thank you."

Haymitch looked at Kaia with a raised brow at the weird act Johanna had going on. She shrugged with her shoulders and grinned at the older victor.

Johanna turned around and pulled out her hair tie and ripped the big bracelets from her wrists: "Now, my stylist is such an idiot. District 7.", she groaned and paused dramatically before she continued to rant: "Lumber, tress."

She sighed again and Kaia had to grin at the act. Johanna was a great actress when she wanted to be.

"I'd love to put my axe in her face." That was the only thing she had said since they entered the elevator that really sounded like the Johanna she knew.

While Katniss was obviously weirded out by the violent things Johanna said Haymitch smiled more and more. Kaia leaned against the cold wall and watched the show. She tried to not get in the way with her headpiece.

After Johanna finally got rid of the bangles she asked: "So what do you think? Now the whole world wants to sleep with you?"

Kaia had to force down the laugh when Katniss started to answer but her friend interrupted her on the spot.

"I wasn't talking to you!"

When Jo looked at a stunned Peeta for the first time she smiled almost sweetly at him: "Unzip?"

The victor couldn't help herself but chuckle at the victor from 7. She couldn't believe but, but Johanna always had a strange sense of humour. Katniss looked as if she wasn't sure who to strangle first. Johanna who was so blunt or Peeta who went along with it, when he muttered an unsure yes.

Johanna started to peel the tight dress away from her as if it was the most normal thing to do in a public elevator.

"Johanna!", Kaia muttered while still laughing lightly, "Really?"

"Oh, don't be such a prude, Kaia. We are all enjoying this meeting. Don't make it uncomfortable for us!" Kaia wondered how her voice could stay this serious. She winked at Haymitch in a way that would have been seductive if it wasn't in this strange situation.

When the lift stopped on the seventh floor the door opened and Johanna waved at Kaia before stepping out and saying: "Thanks! Let's do this again sometime."

"Oh, thank you!", Haymitch said and Kaia had to grin. Katniss and Peeta were still a bit chocked at what had happened.

"Well, that's Johanna.", Kaia said as if it explained anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment and kudo :)


	4. Chapter 4

"The people loved the parade. I've never heard them talk this much about it. They really enjoyed seeing all the familiar faces who they loved so much.", Arista said dreamingly. Ever since they started to eat their breakfast together that morning, the escort talked about nothing else.

Kaia frowned, it wasn't the first time since waking up and looked at the tall woman who gracefully put some scrambled eggs on her plate: "Yeah, must be really interesting to see adult trying to kill each other. After all, it was getting boring to see kids in the arena. Why not mix it up a bit, right?"

Even though she liked the woman, Kaia couldn't help but get angry at her. It was obvious that she was born and raised in the capitol. All though she sometimes criticized the brutal tactics of some gamemakers, she still enjoyed the games. For Arista, it was just "bad luck" when their tributes died. Something that was sad but couldn't be helped.

The parade was three days ago. The team from 10 spent the time trying to decide on a strategy. Arista was constantly on the phone and contacted everyone she knew who could be interested in sponsoring Harvey and Kaia. The female victor from 10 had given her all her clients' phone numbers. Maybe one or two liked her so much, that they would try to keep her alive.

Harvey and Kaia hadn't been much in the training room. The first day after they got to the capitol, they watched the other tributes' games and tried to find every weakness, that could become handy.  
On the second day, they went down briefly to go to the non-fighting area. After all the years of as mentors and thinking they were safe, they had to relearn a few survival tricks. But they knew that they had to start training soon.

Kaia wasn't sure if her fellow tribute was interested in training with her, so when he was still in the middle of eating his breakfast, she stood up and told them, that she would be in the training centre.

She put on the tight sportswear and pulled her long wavy hair into a high ponytail, but her pangs still framed her face. Her heart was beating fast when she stepped into the elevator. The ride from the 10th floor to the basement where the training room was located seemed as if it took forever. When the door opened, and she recognized the familiar room she was getting even more nervous. Kaia hadn't thought that she would ever see that room again. She would have died happy if that would have been the case.

She could hear a few of the others grunting while training hard when she stepped into the room. It was warm and she felt like there wasn't enough oxygen in the air. Kaia pushed a few longer strands of her bangs behind her ear and told herself to stay calm. She knew these people. It wasn't as if she had to make a lasting impression. They already knew that knives were her thing. That she was hopeless with other weapons.

"Ah, 10 finally makes an appearance.", shouted Johanna from the other side of the room. Her dark hair was sticking to her face. She had been practicing with her axe and her face was red from the exercise. At that moment Kaia was glad that she somehow became friends with the fierce victor because you definitely didn't want her as an enemy. Johanna was ruthless and immensely lethal.

Kaia walked over to her and ignored the looks she got from the other tributes. She noticed immediately that the tributes from 1 and 2 were at the front part of the room where most of the weapons were.

She never really liked them. With Cashmere, she had some kind of understanding, because they had to endure the same things, but they didn't really like one another. She had always thought that the careers, mostly the tributes from the first two districts, were arrogant and loved themselves a bit too much.

"Hey, how is your training?", she asked her friend when she stood in front of her.

Johanna looked at her and laughed: "Good enough. I think I scared 12 out of her mind."

Katniss and Peeta were standing not too far away from them and whispered to each other.

"I guess the Miss doesn't want to be my ally.", the victor from 7 chuckled darkly to herself.

Surprised, Kaia looked back at her: "I didn't know you wanted to be her ally. I always assumed that you don't like her."

She wondered about Johanna. She always talked about Katniss and how annoying her act with Peeta was. Never did Kaia think, that Johanna would want to work with the tributes from 12.

The other victor looked at her for a long time before speaking again: "Well... things change" She had a strange sparkle in her dark brown eyes. Kaia felt as if she should understand a deeper meaning with the way her friend looked at her, but she couldn't think of any.

"Okay. If you say so.", she said confused and with a frown on her face.

For a moment it seemed as if Johanna wanted to say one more thing, but she opened and closed her mouth a few times before a slow grin spread on her face: "Loverboy is looking this way."

Kaia looked over her shoulder and saw Peeta now chatting with the two tributes from 11. Chaff, a tall man with dark skin and long legs, was laughing loudly and was patting the younger man on the shoulder. It seemed as if the two of them were friends already. But it was obvious, that Peeta wasn't looking at them. He was completely focused on his conversation.

She frowned and turned back to Johanna: "Peeta isn't looking at..."

"I didn't mean that boy from 12, idiot!", Johanna chuckled. The mischievous twinkle in her eyes was back.

Without another word the victor from 7 walked away, letting the axe fall to the ground.

Kaia frowned and looked at her friend who was walking to the other tribute from 7. She hadn't talked to him before, but his face was familiar to her. He was the silent type who tried to not get into trouble with the capitol.

Her grey eyes slowly took the whole room in. Most tributes were training on the different weapons or survival stations, but a few were also talking to each other. Clearly, they were trying to forge alliances. She could see that Katniss was talking with Mags and Kaia hoped, that the young winner would like the sweet old lady. Nobody wanted to see her die in the arena, so she was glad that apparently, Katniss seemed to like her. One less enemy.

She knew that she should do the same and start to go to a few tributes she thought she could trust. She had thought that she would forge an alliance with Johanna, but when she told her, that she was interested in working with 12 Kaia wasn't sure what that meant for her. Maybe it was better if she did this alone. So, she wouldn't be forced to turn on anybody and betray them.

Kaia was startled when she met ocean-blue eyes across the room. A few longer curls fell on his forehead while his fingers ran through his hair. In the bright light of the training centre she could see that it wasn't just blond, but a mixture of gold and bronze. He really was the capitol's golden boy. Finnick was talking to Haymitch. Kaia was surprised because she wasn't sure if mentors were allowed to go to these rooms, but there he was. The two of them were separated from the rest and talked quietly to each other. Haymitch appeared more concentrated than Kaia had ever seen him. She almost thought that he could be sober, but that was impossible.

But while Haymitch was acting strange, Finnick's behaviour was even more confusing to her. Even though he seemed to listen closely to the things the older victor had to say to him, his eyes hadn't left her for even one second. He looked at her as if she was somehow important. As if the rest of the room and the people in it paled in comparison to her. It made her uncomfortable but at the same time, she felt as if she wasn't able to look away. She took a deep breath to prepare herself to stop looking at him, but when she saw the tiny grin on his lips her heart skipped a beat.

She had to stop this nonsense.

With an irritated frown she turned around and looked for something, anything, she could do to distract herself from him. Kaia had promised herself, that she wouldn't think about him since that evening a few weeks ago. Until she was forced to see him again, she had been successful. But now, that he was always close by, she couldn't get the images out of her head.

She could still remember the feel of his lips and hands on her body. He was the one who showed her what real passion and desire could feel like and she hated him for it. Before, she never knew what sex could be like. You can't mourn for something she didn't know. But after that night every client felt even more repulsive. When they pulled at her or grabbed her too hard, she knew that it shouldn't feel like that.

  
Trying to forget the look in his eyes, Kaia walked over to the knives throwing station. Knives were her weapon of choice. The others were even harder for her to handle. She stopped in front of the screen and chose one of the settings.

  
She stepped onto the podium and tried to concentrate on the task and get into the mode. Holograms were running towards her. She got most of them, but a few got too close to her and she had to stab them instead of throwing the knives. Kaia hoped that it wouldn't come to that in the arena. That she wouldn't have to be so close to the person she would have to kill.

Kaia was sweating when she was done. She killed 70% of the holograms and hoped, that it would be enough to survive a few days in the games. Some curls had escaped her ponytail and stuck to her forehead. She took a towel and tried to dry her face.

  
"Well, you have to get better to win this thing.", a mischievous voice said to her. Kaia turned around and saw Finnick leaning against the wall next to the knife-throwing station. He looked so relaxed. As if nothing could bring down his mood.

  
"I don't intend to win. I'm not delusional. I just don't want to make killing me too easy.", she said while looking at him. He wore a tight tank top like all tributes, but somehow, he looked so good in it. His broad shoulders were emphasized, and his muscular arms were free to look at.

  
Finnick's eyes were inspecting every inch of her and her skin started to tingle.

  
Kaia tried to shake the feeling and asked him: "What was Haymitch talking about? I wasn't aware that mentors are allowed to be here."

  
The man seemed surprised at the question and watched her even more intensely. She could see that he was thinking about his answer before a seductive smile spread on his face.

  
"I didn't know that you were watching me, love. Or keeping taps on who I talk with." He laughed softly. Even his eyes were smiling and Kaia thought, that he looked beautiful.  
For a moment it was silent between the two victors before she got over his looks.

  
With a small, irritated frown on her face she said challenging: "Well, you also seem to keep a watch on me."

  
His laugh got louder, and his shoulders were shaking in amusement. Finnick took a few steps so he was standing in front of her before he uttered almost seductively: "You're right. I am watching you."

  
He wasn't even denying it like she expected. Finnick admit it without any kind of excuse. His eyes wandered over her body, and somehow Kaia felt so exposed. Even though she was covered by the workout clothes, she felt as if Finnick could see what laid beneath them. She got goose bumps on her arms as if his eyes caressed her.

  
"At least you're honest.", she said timidly. Finnick was so close, that she could touch him if she wanted to do so. Some part of her wanted to do just that and she was so confused by that.  
He smiled. It wasn't his usual seductive grin, that could be seen on almost every magazine and tv show. It seemed more sincere. Like it was real. His ocean eyes were almost sparkling with honest amusement.

  
His fingers once more ran through his luscious blond locks before he chuckled: "Why wouldn't I? You're not hard to look at, love."

  
Kaia almost choked on her spit when he said that. He wasn't embarrassed at all. He said these things as if they were perfectly normal. Before that night a few weeks prior, they didn't even talk to each other. Both of them did their thing and Kaia always had tried to stay out of his life.

  
She had killed his tribute. He had been one of the last survivors, and she didn't just kill him, she downright butchered him because she panicked. She could still feel his hands around her throat when he had pushed her to the ground. His knees had been on her legs so she couldn't kick him. She couldn't see properly anymore, and tears were streaming out of her eyes. Kaia had tried to push him away, but he had been too strong. Some tributes from 4 had been trained prior to the games, and he was one of them. A career with a good chance to win that year. She had thought it was over, but then her hand found the knife that stuck on his belt. Without thinking she had pulled it out and stabbed him in the stomach.

  
He had looked so shocked and immediately let her go. She was full of adrenaline and wasn't able to stop until he was dead. When he finally laid there without moving and Kaia heard the canon, she was covered in his blood. She herself was so shocked by what she had done that her whole body was shaking. He hand hadn't been able to keep hold of the knife, so she let it fall. She had run after that, and when she saw the face of the tribute from 4 that evening in the sky a lone tear rolled down her cheek.

  
When she got out of the arena the older victors came to congratulate her. Finnick had been there too. He shook her hand without saying anything and Kaia hadn't looked him int the eyes. She was ashamed of what she had done.

  
"Why are you even talking to me after what I have done?"

  
Finnick raised his perfectly shaped eyebrows in surprise. Whatever he was expecting, that wasn't it. For some reason, he slowly reached for her and put his large hand on her arm. She couldn't breathe properly. What was he doing? He should hate her!

  
He frowned, and Kaia caught herself thinking, that he shouldn't look like that. His face was made for the small charming smiles.

  
"Kaia, tell me that you know that you are in no way responsible for what happened to us.", he hissed while holding both of her upper arms with a tight grip. Now she looked confused. How could she not be responsible for murdering that boy? She didn't even remember his name.

  
When she wanted to ask him, she suddenly understood. Finnick wasn't talking about her games, but about what had happened at the party. The grip of his hands was so tight, she was sure, that she would have bruises on her arms. Like last time. But again, she couldn't find it in herself to care about it. There were way worse things that having marks from Finnick touch.

  
She stared at his chest trying to decide what to say to him. Maybe she should just go with it and act as if that was what she meant. But she wasn't sure which topic was more delicate to talk about.

  
"I... I didn't...", Kaia muttered. Her heartbeat was so fast she felt almost nauseous. She still stared at the fabric on his chest and watched as he was slowly breathing in and out. It almost calmed her a bit.

  
"Look at me, love.", his soft voice told her. It sounded so damn charming that it almost hurt. Until that moment Kaia hadn't noticed before that Finnick was calling her love. He did tend to use nicknames for almost everyone, but most of the time they were of the funny kind. If he used a pet name, he usually went for darling. Johanna told her that once because she hated that. Finnick was calling her darling clearly just to annoy the fellow victor. But she never heard him calling anybody love.

  
When she didn't listen, he put his hand on her chin and tilted her head up, so he could watch her closely. He still wore that unfamiliar frown on his face. Finnick's eyes looked at her so intensely, that she couldn't help herself but close her eyes. Kaia was aware of the fact, that the way they were standing there was weird. Everybody could see them and think something intimate was going on between them. But at that moment she didn't care. Let them think what they want, she thought.

  
Finnick was talking quietly when he addressed her again: "You have to forget that. We couldn't help it and we had no say in it." She nodded and agreed silently. It felt as if she wasn't the master of her voice anymore, so she didn't try to say anything. He was right. They couldn't have stopped it. She almost felt relieved, that somebody acknowledged the things they were forced to do. Nobody but Finnick had ever talked with her about it. Johanna only ever nodded when she decided to tell her about some of the stuff that burdened her every day. She smiled reluctantly but was, for the first time in ages, so hopeful.

  
"We are victims. It didn't mean anything, love."

  
The bubble had burst. Kaia opened her eyes and saw Finnick's face. He had leaned down so he was closer to her hight and the look on his face was so sincere. He meant every single word he had said to her. It felt like something shattered inside of her, but she wouldn't let herself acknowledged that. It didn't mean anything to him.

  
"Sure.", she muttered. Slowly she put her hands on his wrists and pushed his hands away from her arm and chin. Kaia didn't want him touching her anymore. Her heart hurt and she couldn't even explain why.

  
She knew that her face showed no emotion when she choked: "It meant nothing... just another job."

  
Finnick looked bewildered but didn't say anything when she told him, that she should train some more. She turned around and walked away. She stopped at the other end of the room at some kind of survival station. Kaia wasn't even sure what it was about, but she had to get away from him.

  
When she left the training room that afternoon, she saw him talking to Johanna. Her friend looked infuriated and shook her head vigorously. Finnick didn't seem as happy and relaxed as normal but she tried to not think about him. It would be better that way.

  
When she stepped into the elevator, she pressed the button for the 10th floor, but before the door could close Johanna joined her. They talked briefly about their training that day, and what they planned to do for their private training session in front of the gamemakers. Johanna obviously didn't have to hide her skills anymore so she would show how good she was at climbing. She would get a good score. The axe Johanna used always seemed like an extension of her body. She was deadly.

  
Kaia wasn't so sure for herself. Maybe she would just throw some knives and hope for a decent score. Something Arista could work with.

  
When they reached the 7th floor Kaia wanted to say goodbye to her friend, but Johanna stopped in the middle of the door. She looked serious and observed her.

  
"Listen, you have to talk with Haymitch, okay?", Johanna finally whispered. She was talking so quietly; Kaia almost couldn't hear her.

  
The victor from 10 frowned confused. She didn't understand what Johanna was talking about. They normally didn't talk with the drunkard often. He usually wasn't sober enough for that.

  
"What? Why?", she asked.

  
The dark brown eyes of the older woman looked at her and croaked: "Promise! Promise, that you go to him. It's important!"

  
Kaia still didn't understand why Jo could possibly need that, but she nodded slowly: "Yes! I'll go to him as soon as possible."

  
Johanna looked relieved but added: "But you have to be discreet. No one can know! Promise it!"

  
The door of the elevator was trying to close multiple times, but Johanna didn't seem to care about it. She looked at her so intensely as if Kaia's answer somehow changed everything.

  
She was looking in Jo's eyes and tried to show her that she meant what she said: "Okay, I promise. I will be careful."

  
Johanna nodded approvingly one last time, smiling tensely, before stepping out of the elevator and leaving Kaia with her raging thoughts alone.


	5. Chapter 5

All of them were sitting on the couch. It was late when the show started, and Caesar and Claudius started to talk about the tribute’s ratings. Arista was walking from one side of the room to the other. She was even more nervous than normal. She had to find sponsors.

"What do you expect?", Kaia asked Harvey, who was sitting next to her. His elbows leaned on his legs and he put his face in his hands. He was tense. Kaia hadn't seen him like this before. Normally the older man was the calm one. He usually tried to stay quiet and reassure their tributes but now that it was about them, he couldn't fake it.

"Not sure. I threw a few weights and hope for the best. I'm not in the same shape as when I was 17 and won the games.", he answered. In the background, they heard that Gloss got a 10 and Cashmere a 9. Not surprising at all.

"You?"

She shrugged. Kaia thought about it nonstop. How high would her rating be? She did the only thing she could do. So, she threw knives. It went okay. She hit most targets, but she was far from perfect. Gloss was a pro in that area. It just had to be decent enough, Kaia tried to tell herself.

Districts 2 and 3 were already done, and nothing surprising happened, but when Kaia heard Claudius' voice talk about the fishing district she listened closely. Once again, she could she Finnick’s charming smile and his white shining teeth on the television. Clausius and Caesar were raving about the handsome man and how he was such a great and interesting tribute in his games. After all, he was the youngest victor of all time. Kaia wasn't surprised when she saw a strong 10 beside his picture. She didn't expect anything less than that. Although it had been a while since anyone saw Finnick train with a trident, everyone knew that it was a deadly extension of his arms; like axes were for Johanna.

Kaia could still remember his games clearly. It was the 65th games and she was only 13 years old. Even back then Finnick had been handsome. He was still only 14, but it was crystal clear that he would eventually become a very attractive man. The people loved him right from the start. He was funny and charming but also surprisingly humble and nice to his allies. It was no surprise that Mags and the other mentors from 4 had no trouble finding willing sponsors. Everyone wanted to see him win and survive. But he was still an underdog due to his age.

On the first day, he was able to get a sword from the cornucopia. Finnick was good enough with it and managed to kill the stocky male tribute from 7. But on the fifth day, his mentors sent him an unforgettable present. The most expensive thing a tribute had ever gotten in the game. A trident. After that, it was only a matter of days until he was the crowned victor. Even the other career tributes didn't stand a chance. Finnick killed seven people in his games. The people didn't even question it when he killed his last ally without hesitating. Ever since he has been one of the most beloved victors of all time.

When Kaia once again concentrated on the tv program the face of Johanna was shown. She was glad that the woman from 7 got a good rating. A 9. She needed it because nobody would sponsor her because of her endearing personality. She didn't hide her hatred towards everything that somehow hat to do anything with the capitol.

When district 10 was called out Kaia froze in her spot on the couch. She wanted to know her rating but at the same time, Kaia wished she didn't have to be in that situation once more. Last time she had thought that she might have a small chance to survive, but now she was sure that she would eventually die in this arena.

"Harvey Patterson received a 6 from our gamemakers. It seems like he is still in a good shape, Caesar.", Clausius said. Arista clapped on Harvey's shoulder and murmured to herself, that a 6 was good enough.

Kaia held her breath waiting for the two men to talk about her.

"Well, Claudius, our next tribute is one of my personal favourites. Kaia Brooks captured our hearts when her little brother was reaped the year after her victory. I almost thought we had another Cashmere and Gloss." They laughed about it, but Kaia was couldn't move a muscle. She didn't think it was anything to laugh about. Her heart was beating very fast by now.

"So, I was very pleased to see, that she might have a chance in this glorious quarter quell. Miss Brooks earned a solid 7."

Harvey smiled at her, although it didn't reach his brown eyes, and put his hand on her knee.

Arista hugged her from behind: "We definitely can work with that, dear."

Kaia noticed that she was nodding but she wasn't able to think properly. Would it be enough? She had to find sponsors to survive, but the was sure that everyone would want to sponsor the tributes from 1 and 2. Finnick would also have it easy. And Katniss and Peeta of course. There were only a few days left until the games begin and Kaia still had no strategy. She had two days until the interview with Caesar.

And she still hadn't talked with Haymitch as she had promised Johanna. Every time she had seen him, he had been talking with someone else. It seemed like he suddenly was every tributes' best friend.

That evening Kaia decided that it couldn't wait any longer. Maybe Peeta told Haymitch that he wanted her to be their ally. It definitely wasn't Katniss. It would be surprising, but it wasn't impossible.  
After dinner, she walked to the elevator. She had to go to district 12's floor if that was the only way she could get a hold on the older victor.

After a few moments of waiting, the soft ring of the elevator could be heard, and the doors opened slowly. Kaia entered the small space and pushed the button for the 12th floor. The backside of the elevator was made out of glass so you could see the big city. The sun was slowly setting behind the concrete jungle and the beautiful mountains that surrounded the capitol.

The elevator only got one floor up before the shine doors opened once again. Ans surprisingly exactly the person Kaia was looking for entered.

Haymitch's dark eyes lightened up a bit when he saw her and said with a grin on his face: "Well if it isn't Miss Brooks. I've heard you got a 7. To be honest, I was surprised. You always appear to be as threatening as a fluffy kitten." He laughed loudly when he saw the sour look on her face.

"I'm only joking, sweetheart."

Kaia arched one of her dark eyebrows: "Johanna wants that I talk to you, but I guess that's a waste of time. And to be honest, I don't have that much time left, so it's better we just forget this."  
Haymitch still grinned at her but now he looked slightly more impressed.

"That would be a mistake. You should have a talk with dear old me. Maybe it could be life-changing, sweetheart."

Once again Kaia felt as if she didn't get a significant part of the conversation, just like with Johanna. She slowly nodded to him and agreed silently. Haymitch looked more serious than ever but he smiled briefly when he pushed the button for the roof.

Kaia looked at him. The surprise and confusion were apparent on her face, but he only shrugged. She was getting more and more intrigued by the second.  
It didn't take long, but it felt like they stood there for hours before they reached the top floor. It was getting dark, but the terrace was lit by many small lights. Everything was lush and green. There were even big trees hand Kaia wondered how they could grow on top of the building.

Haymitch walked to the railing and looked at the busy streets. When he turned around and stood there for a minute Kaia finally followed him and stood beside him.  
But he still wasn't talking. She didn't know what to make of the situation. He clearly knew what the conversation was about, but she was still in the dark.

"Why are we up here and not in your suite?", Kaia asked. She still didn't get why he wanted to be there. It was beautiful but she couldn't understand his motives.

"No cameras up here.", he said quietly as if he was still a bit uncertain if someone was listening. She was surprised. She wasn't aware that there was a single place in the capitol that wasn't full of cameras or any kind of recording device.

"So... what it is that you want from me?", she wondered after he once again was silent. Both of them were leaning on the modern glass railing and Kaia watched the stunning sunset. From up there she could see it even better than from the elevator. One half of the sun was already hidden behind the top of the mountains.

Haymitch took a deep breath before he looked at her face. He seemed to try to take her in. She wasn't sure what that could be, but she felt his persistent look.

"How are you dealing with it?", he asked slowly. He had a frown on his face as if he was trying to understand her. Kaia turned her head so she could look into his eyes. His es looked similar to Katniss' eyes. She was told that those were a common characteristic of people from 12 who lived in the so-called "Seam".

She arched her brow: "What do you mean?"

Haymitch cleared his throat and elaborated: "Your clients. I've been told that you have quite a lot of them recently. I imagine that you comply because of your father, but I've heard that he isn't in the best mental shape. And your brother has died already. How do you deal with all of that? Don't you want to have a better life, sweetheart?" He sounded serious and didn't show any emotion on his face when he asked her those personal things.

Kaia didn't know what to say. She hadn't been particularly close with Haymitch and didn't feel comfortable talking with him about her problems. She hadn't known that the older victor was aware of the things the others had to endure. It always seemed as if he didn't remember much about them once he was sober enough to talk. Slowly she opened her mouth but still wasn't sure how she should answer that.

After a few seconds, she started talking again: "I don't know. I do what I have to. There isn't anything that I could do about it. It is what it is." Even though he had told her that there were no cameras on the roof she still felt uncomfortable talking about it. This was considered treason. They openly discussed that the capitol did to her.

He licked his lips as if he was excited to tell her something and couldn't wait any longer.

"What if I tell you, that there is something."

Kaia frowned even more. His grey eyes were shining now but she shook her head: "It doesn't do us any good to dream about this. It is impossible." Her heartbeat was getting faster. She tried to not get her hopes up but Haymitch looked so confident.

A slow smile spread on his face before he explained: "I tell you that it isn't"

She considered it for a moment but started to shake her head: "I can't change anything by myself. It would be a suicide mission."

Haymitch chuckled softly while swiping a few curls of his dark hair away: "It is a suicide mission, but you won't be alone in this, I can promise that. Many people are involved in this. But I can only talk further about it if you are willing to help this course to bring down the capitol. Are you with us?"

Kaia tried to breathe slowly and nodded to herself. She had to think straight and calm down. This could be the chance she was hoping for, for such a long time.

"Johanna?", she asked quietly.

His laughter got louder after her question: "Of course! She was one of the first people to join. I guess she would have killed us if we wouldn't have let her."

"Who else?"

It was clear that he wasn't sure if he should trust her with the information. Kaia still hadn't made a decision. Haymitch couldn't be sure if she could be trusted to not talk about it. But the serious and concentrated look on her face seemed sincere.

"At the moment there are 3, 4, 6, 11 and 12. Although the lovers don't know about it and it should stay like that."

Kaia's hands cramped into her long hair. She took a very deep breath to really think about it. It was a once in a lifetime chance to make a difference.

Slowly she opened her lips and spoke: "If you promise me, that you try everything possible to protect our families, you can count on district 10."

Haymitch nodded and looked pleased with her decision but he still asked: "We can do that. You're sure that Harvey can be trusted?"

Kaia looked at him and frowned a bit. She knew Harvey for many years, and he was a great mentor for her. Not many of the other victors knew, that his wife was pregnant a few years after he won. He told her once that she was sick and needed medication from the capitol but because the president wasn't amused about this marriage, that hadn't been approved by him, they denied it. The baby had been a stillbirth. Harvey's wife, Louisa, had initially survived but died a few days later due to a massive blood loss. Both of their lives could have been saved if Snow had decided to do so. Harvey never forgot it.

"100% sure. He hates them as much as we do." He seemed to think about it before he told her that they would include him. One man could make a crucial difference.

Ever since that significant talk with Haymitch Kaia couldn't think about anything else. Now that she knew that this whole thing had been in the making for many months, she understood some things that confused her before. For example, how the morphlings from 6 suddenly talked with Beete or Finnick. In the past, they had been too drugged for that. They usually had stayed by themselves instead of socializing.

Kaia wished she could talk with Johanna but since that evening there hadn't been an opportunity to do that. It was hard enough to talk with Harvey. She hadn't been surprised when he joined them without a second thought.

She once again found herself in the room her stylist Cissy used to prepare her. The same team from the reaping worked on her hair, nails, and makeup. She could feel how the experienced hands of the Tullia braided her long hair, so it fell like a halo around her head. Only a few loose curls and her bangs framed her face. But the braid still was a masterpiece. There were small, delicate chains woven into it. They wanted her interview look to resemble her previous one at the parade. But the clothing was completely different. Cissy put her in long flowy black pants that started at her waist. Her upper body was only partly by a bralette covered. It was made out of beautiful black lase but was quite transparent. Kaia knew that if the camera got her on a bad angle her nipples could be seen through the material. Once again, they covered her in thin golden chains that were put on her upper body. Some were wrapped around her waist but were also connected to some on her neck.

Kaia smiled at the team, especially at Vita, who made her eyes pop with the intricate makeup look. With the false lashes, her grey eyes looked seductive. She had to admit that she felt beautiful and confident.

When Arista shooed them away from the entrance and into the waiting room Kaia saw the other tributes. Everyone looked great. Cissy hadn't been the only stylist that had worked hard that day. When she saw Johanna on the other end of the room having a heated discussion with her escort Kaia walked over to her.

"Hey, do you have a moment?"

Johanna turned around, clearly surprised because she hadn't noticed Kaia before: "Sure." She looked at the short man who was the district 7's escort to make him understand that he wasn't needed anymore. He huffed annoyed and went to Blight, the male tribute from 7.

"What's up?"

Kaia looked over her shoulder to see if someone was standing close by before the words started to fall from her lips: "Thank you. I have talked with Haymitch. I know they only asked me because you told them to."

Johanna's dark eyes nervously investigated the room and scrutinized everybody: "We shouldn't talk abou-"

"I know.", she stopped her before whispering: "The others shouldn't know that Peeta asked to be our ally in the games. I was quite surprised about it." Kaia hoped that Johanna understood.  
A calm voice asked for Cashmere to come to the stage. The interviews were beginning.

The smaller woman nodded, and a small grin was appearing on her face: "Yeah, me too. Who knew 12 would be interested? Lover girl always seemed like the typical lone wolf. I guess we didn't know anything about them."

Kaia smiled. Jo understood what she was really talking about.

"I see that there are even more beautiful girls tonight. Enobaria seems quite jealous of you. Brooks, I have to admit you look stunning.", said a familiar voice. Kaia felt a warm big hand on the small of her back where a few inches of her skin were shown. It was as if electric shocks went through her.

She wasn't surprised to see Finnick's face when she turned her head. He stood close to her and had his ocean-green eyes only on her. He took every inch of her in and stopped a bit longer than appropriate on her breasts. She was more aware than ever that the only thing that covered her from his eyes was the thin bralette she wore.

"I'll even go as far and say that you're the most beautiful woman this evening, love.", his voice had dropped a few tones and his eyes were sparkling mischievously.

Kaia hesitated for a second before forcing herself to sound calm: "Hello to you too, Finnick. It's also great to see you. How nice of you to ask! I'm good, thanks. How have you been?"

The handsome man laughed at her sarcastic response but still kept his hand on her back. He was slowly stroking the skin and grinned when he noticed the goose bumps that started to appear.

When he stopped his laughter, he cleared his throat and said: "I've heard that you joined our little alliance. I said to Haymitch that you would be a great asset when I told him that you must join."

She couldn't deny that she was surprised. Since the conversation with the older winner from 12, she thought that Johanna was the one to include her in the first place. Never in a million years, she had guessed that it had been Finnick.

"Thank you. I'm glad to get that chance.", she said. She still didn't understand everything about the man. Somehow, they knew each other for years without knowing anything about the other.

Kaia tried to not look at him. She knew that Finnick was still watching her, but she concentrated on her friend who hadn't said much since he joined them. A few moments later Finnick's name was called by the speakers. He was needed on the stage.

He apologized for having to leave but told them to listen to his interview because he prepared something special, before and walked away. But before he walked through the door and left, he glanced over his shoulder and noticed that Kaia was watching his every move. Her heart stopped for a second when he smiled and winked at her. His eyes lit up and he showed his beautiful white teeth. He was more than handsome. She had to force herself to look away. She couldn't go there. It was smart with the things Haymitch told her. It was the worst time possible for that.

"Aren't you two lovely... I need to barf."

Kaia looked at Johanna once again. Her friend grinned but looked at her questioningly.

"Don't be ridiculous.", she spat at her. She really didn't feel the need to talk about it. There wasn't anything to talk about after all. Finnick flirted with almost everyone. Man or woman.

Johanna ignored her completely and went on: "If I didn't know better, I would think that Finnick has a crush." She laughed out loud when she saw Kaia's irritated face.

She wanted to tell her that she indeed should know better but when she opened her mouth, they could see on the many screens on the wall that Caesar Flickerman welcomed Finnick onto the stage.  
The people, mostly women, were screaming and everyone tried to get his attention. Finnick didn't hesitate and put on his familiar capitol smile. It felt even more wrong to see it after she saw his real smile only seconds ago.

The two men talked a bit about district 4 and Finnick said that he would give anything to go back there. How he already missed the ocean. But when Caesar turned to another topic, he looked much more serious.

"Finnick" Caesar couldn't even say his name without the audience freaking out.

"I understand that you have a message for somebody out there." Finnick grinned and looked away as if he was embarrassed by it, but Kaia knew better. This was what he had meant earlier. What he prepared for the interview.

"A... special somebody. Can we hear it?", Caesar asked further. He seemed genuinely intrigued and excited.

Finnick chuckled now and made himself ready to say more.

"My love-", the blond man hesitated for a second and tried to form the words in his head with care. He looked directly into the camera.

"You have my heart... all eternity. And if... if I die in the arena-" He barely got the words over his lips. It looked hard and Kaia felt that she couldn't breathe as well.

"-my last thought will be of your lips." While the audience was screaming one more, Finnick didn't say anything more. He slowly nodded into the camera as if to confirm what he just said.

"Well, fuck. He doesn't have a crush. He is madly in love with you.", Johanna shrieked. She laughed loudly as if everything was highly amusing for her. Kaia couldn't say anything. Her throat felt so tight that she wasn't able to say a single word, even if she wanted to do so.

"I told you. Fucking hell, I'll have to bear two pairs of star-crossed lovers. Kill me now!" Kaia's hands were shaking. She was getting angry but knew deep down that Johanna meant no harm.

"Shut up! He said that it didn't mean anything! We were victims and had no say. He isn't magically in love with me. He feels nothing for me.", Kaia hissed. She had tried to forget what he had said a few days prior but at that moment everything came back. It had hurt more than it should have. They weren't in love. It was only physical. Both of them were attractive and had seen each other naked. Of course, they were attracted to each other on some level. That was it. Nothing more, nothing less.

Johanna laughed even louder at that: "If you believe that you are much more stupid than I thought."

Kaia shook her head and walked away. She really didn't want to talk with Johanna anymore.

More and more minutes went by and slowly the room got emptier. Every 2 minutes a new tribute was being escorted to the stage and had his or her interview. Of course, everyone tried to make a subtle statement and tried to call the whole affair off, but everyone knew that that wasn't happening anytime soon. Not with Snow.

After the male tribute from 9 cried a bit that he couldn't imagine never seeing his three little kids again, Kaia's name was called. She slowly rose and nodded to Harvey, wishing him good luck for his turn. With shaking hands, she rearranged some of the golden chains to sit directly between her boobs, and stood nervously behind the stage, waiting for instructions.

Caesar said his goodbye to the male tribute and Kaia heard the applause from the crowd.

"And now to one of the capitols favourites. Please welcome the sweet and lovely Kaia Brooks!" Caesar screamed at the end and the people were clapping loudly and calling her name. Someone pushed her towards the stage and she slowly started to walk.

Kaia was blinded by all the lights but tried to push that to the side when she saw the huge smile on Caesar’s face. His hair was dyed a weird-looking shade of bubble-gum pink. Not his best look. He took her hand in his and pulled her to him to present her to the crowd. Kaia put a smile on her face, and she knew that it looked a bit fake. But these people wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyway. When they calmed down the both of them sat on the white couch in the middle of the large stage. The other tributes that already did their interview were standing elevated in the background. On both sides of the big stage, there were staircases to go up there.

Caesar smiled at her and his teeth were as bright as the stage lights: "It's so nice to see you again. And I have to say that you look STUNNING! Doesn't she people? Why haven't you visited me earlier?" Kaia forced a giggle when the crowd laughed in agreement.

She looked at him as if they were best friends: "Oh Caesar, you only needed to call me. You know that it is always a pleasure for me to be here."

He looked delighted and winked at the audience: "Isn't she lovely? I told you that she would be!" Once again, they were clapping and screaming both their names.

The man looked at her again and asked the first real question: "You looked magnificent at your reaping. I couldn't concentrate on anything but your beautiful dress. But how did you react to the news of the third quarter quell? You didn't give much away." A few people were laughing softly.

She tried to not lose the frozen smile on her face when she answered: "I was surprised. In the last years, I really enjoyed my time at the capitol, but now that will be over. Nobody expected it. I have to admit that I still have a little hope, that the quarter quell will be undone. Won't you miss us guys? I definitely will."

Many people in the audience were awing and wiping away tears. They were so easy to manipulate. Caesar patted her hand in a calming manner and told her that they all would indeed miss her and the other tributes. But she knew that it wasn't enough. If anyone could convince them it would be Katniss and Peeta. Their show was crucial.

"I have one last question, and I'm sure that almost everyone will be interested in it. We see you a lot in magazines. And it is prominent, that you have many different men on your arm. Anyone that captured your heart yet? Can we expect a wedding soon if you are once again the winner?" The crowd loved it and laughed and giggles with Caesar whose pink eyebrows were wiggling.

Even though her hands were sweating she grinned at him: "Sad to disappoint you, Caesar, but none of those men is the one for me. But if you get me out of the arena, I promise you that all of you are invited to my wedding... if one day a man is stupid enough to marry me." Caesar was clapping and laughing enthusiastically but winked at her as if he would make sure to remember that.

"I will hold you to that promise! I enjoyed the time with you, but we have to end when it's at its best." He stood up and helped her to get up from the couch.

The man raised their hands and said to end and said one last time: "Ladies and gentlemen: Kaia Brooks" He let her go and pushed her softly in the direction of the stairs.

When she walked up her eyes instinctively found ocean-green ones. Finnick winked at her charmingly and smiled softly.

All of them tried one strategy or another to stop the games, but nobody expected that Peeta would be the one to make the audience freak out. A baby! The people clearly didn't want to continue it, but the president would not allow for the games to be cancelled. When all the tributes suddenly hold the hands of each other Caesar looked surprised but also horrified. Quickly they turned off the light and it went dark. Nobody could see anything when they were escorted from the stage and back to the training centre.

When Kaia laid in bed that evening, she thought about the next day. The games would start she was forced to go back to the arena. She desperately hoped that their plan would work, and they would be able to get out. But if everything else failed they had to ensure that Katniss and Peeta survive. The two of them were crucial for future plans. But just before Kaia fell asleep one particular thought got on her mind. Finnick too. He had to survive! She wasn't sure why he was different. She just knew that he somehow was!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment and tell me what you think :)
> 
> I'm so sorry it took so long to update, but I'm quite busy with my studies right now. But as of now, this story will not be abandoned and updated when possible.

She couldn't sleep anymore. It had maybe been 4 hours of sleep before Kaia laid in her bed and stared at the ceiling.  
Her hands were shaking when she thought what the day would or could bring for her. Maybe she would be dead by evening. Who knew? Maybe she was freezing in the snow or desperately looking for water in a desert. Mutts could kill her, or it would be another tribute. Kaia hoped that she could trust her allies. At the moment she only trusted Johanna and Harvey. Anyone else could have a secret plan to kill everyone from the inside. But she didn't have another option but to trust them.

The sun was slowly rising and shining through the big windows when Arista knocked on the door. After that, the whole morning went by way faster than Kaia would've liked. She forced herself to swallow bite after bite, to get at least some food into her system. Eating never felt that hard. But who knew when she would be able to eat again?

After breakfast, Kaia and Harvey were brought to their prep teams. Cissy was inspecting the clothes that were prepared by the gamemakers.

"What do you think?"

Cissy looked up while she touched the clothes: "The material is quite thin. Expect it to be a warm arena. But it almost feels like a wet suit."

Kaia nodded slowly and thought about it: "Makes sense. The last few years were mostly deserts or forests. A water arena would change it up for the audience."

The older woman helped her into the suit and zipped it up. It fit like a second skin. The sleeves went to her elbows. Cissy was right. It felt like it was made out of a material that was normally used for swimming gear.

Kaia sat down in the chair in front of the mirror and Cissy started to do her hair. No makeup or hair artist was in the room. Only the two of them.  
"I'm going to pull it away from your face, so it doesn't get in the way."

The former victor nodded and concentrated on her hands. Last evening, she had talked with Arista for quite some time about potential supporters. Everyone who could have an interest in her survival. But despite thinking about it, Kaia didn't tell her about Haymitch and her newly formed alliance. Arista was a capitol citizen after all. She was likable and sweet, and she was sure that the woman would do everything in her power to make sure Kaia survived the games, but she was also loyal. She loved the games and everything that came with it. She didn't understand the terror of it and the fear of losing your own children. It wasn't an option to tell her.

Cissy parted her long wavy hair into two sections and put them into rope braids. Once again, her bangs and a few longer pieces of dark hair framed her face and contrasted her light skin. Kaia played with the ends of her braids which were slightly curly.

"Promise me, that you at least try to win."

Kaia looked up surprised. Cissy normally never talked about the possibility of death for the tributes. It was a game after all.  
She felt herself nodding slowly: "Of course!"

The older woman hugged her and pulled her close to her chest. After a few moments, she let go and stepped back.

After all the tributes were ready, they were escorted to the two hovercrafts. Everything was about to start.

Kaia was led to a seat on one side of the vehicle and was buckled up by one of the security men.

She watched as the other tributes were put in their seats. Everyone was escorted by someone. No one was allowed to enter the hovercraft on their own. Peets sat across from her. He looked nervous and his left leg was shaking. He was clearly trying to calm himself but failing. Suddenly he looked up and met her eyes. Kaia hadn't talked with him much in the past, but she thought that he was very likable. He was easy to get along with. Even for her, who didn't like to get too close with the other victors.

Haymitch told her that his tributes were oblivious to their alliance. They had to gain their trust mostly in the arena. And that was almost completely dependent on what Peeta thought. Katniss wouldn't trust anyone but him. But if he decided to go with them, she would give in and follow him.

Kaia smiled softly at him. She hoped it seemed like an assuring smile as it was intended and didn't look like an I-will-enjoy-killing-you smile. The corners of his lips twitched slightly, and he nodded softly. Maybe that was the very first step into their alliance.

A female peacekeeper came up to her and pulled at her hand. She turned Kaia's arm around and exposed the lower part of it. Without an explanation, she put a small medical looking device onto her. It hurt a bit when the tracker was placed under her skin. The games were definitely starting once more.

After the hovercraft was full Kaia looked around. They always used two separate vehicles to bring the tributes to the arena, so she wasn't surprised when she didn't see either Finnick or Johanna. Harvey sat at the other end of the row of seats. His hands were clutched together.

Kaia closed her eyes and tried to forget her surroundings. She had to stay calm. Freaking out wouldn't help anybody. She knew the plan.

1\. Find as many of the original alliance as possible. Avoid going alone at all costs.  
2\. Beware of districts 1 and 2. They can't be trusted.  
3\. If you are in a big group: try to claim weapons.  
4\. Run.

She just had to stick with it.

The journey to the arena didn't take long. Once again, every single tribute was escorted by a peacekeeper with a gun. When Kaia exited the hovercraft and walked over to the building, she was guided into she could see the second vehicle arriving.

The door got closed behind her. She walked further into the small room which only contained a chair for waiting and the big tube made out of glass. Her entrance into the game. Kaia's heartbeat was so fast she could feel it in her chest. Breathing was getting hard.

Nobody would send her off. There was nobody after all. Arista and Cissy asked her if she wanted one of them with her, but she declined. There was nothing they could do for her at this moment. She just needed one last second of peace.

"10 seconds till launch.", a monotonous voice said. With shaking legs Kaia pushed herself out of the chair. She smoothed out the sleeves of the one-piece she was wearing and slowly walked towards the tube. When she stood inside of it, the glass walls slid down and parted her from the waiting room.

When she saw the clear blue sky and the beams of the bright sun, Kaia almost had to close her eyes. She couldn't see anything. She stood there on the platform with closed eyes, but the smell immediately told her what kind of arena it was. The fresh clean smell of ocean water came into her nose and Kaia could hear soft waves meeting the shore.

The timer was already counting down when she was able to take the first look at her surroundings. She had been right. Around her platform was clear blue water. The pedestals where all the tributes were standing and waiting, were arranged into a circle around the shining Cornucopia that was located on some kind of island. When Kaia looked to her right, she saw one of the rocky wedges that lead to the middle of the small ocean. They looked like rays of light coming from the centre of the arena where all the weapons were waiting for them. Between each of these paths, there were two tributes located.

The timer was already at 45 when Kaia tried to find her allies. On her left stood Enobaria, but Kaia was sure that she would swim to the path on her left and try to get to the Cornucopia. In the distance, she could see the small frame of Johanna. She stood beside Beetee. He should be safe. When she turned to her right her heart was beating faster and faster. On the other side of the rocky wedge stood Peeta. He did not know that Haymitch included both of them into their alliance. Kaia and Peeta were the only ones from the group who stood on this side of the arena. She couldn't see Katniss or Finnick. Harvey could also not be seen from Kaia's position.

She was getting nervous when she saw how the male tribute from 9 looked at Peeta. He seemed determined to end him.

"15"

Kaia tried to breathe in through her nose and got ready to jump into the water. She had to get to Peeta as fast as possible. The tribute from 9 was a lot bigger than her and looked like he trained a lot, but maybe she could help Peeta to beat him. She would have to worry about weapons and finding their other allies later.

"5"

"4"

"3"

Kaia took a deep breath and tried to get as much oxygen into her system as possible. She saw that Enobaria indeed turned away from her and towards the path.

"2"

"1"

A second after the shot, indicating the start of the 75th Hunger Games, Kaia jumped into the water and swam as fast as she could. She wasn't one of the best swimmers, but back in 10, there was a decently sized lake the children of the district would go to in the summer, so she definitely was able to swim for some time. It had to be enough for this.

The water was cold but somehow a little pleasant. The minute Kaia had to wait on the platform she had already started to sweat. Cissy had been right. It definitely was a hot arena.  
She was swimming as fast as possible and took a deep breath whenever her face surfaced. Even though the distance from the platform to the rocky path didn't look that far in the beginning, Kaia didn't reach it until a few moments later. They felt like an eternity. She prayed that Peeta was still okay when she reached him.

Her right hand was the first thing that met the rock of the narrow path that separated her from Peeta. She quickly pulled herself up and out of the water. Everywhere she looked she could see tributes running toward the Cornucopia in the middle of the island. Everyone tried to reach it first. Kaia desperately hoped that someone of their alliance would manage to get some weapons for them if Peeta and she survived. What she saw in front of her once more caused her heart to beat rapidly. 9 had reached Peeta and both were fighting to stay on the surface. Just for a second Peeta looked up and saw her standing there and watching in horror before he once again concentrated on his opponent.

Without a second thought, Kaia had already wasted enough time, she jumped back into the water and tried to reach the two males. She wasn't sure but she thought that she had seen Mags on the opposite path. It looked like she tried to get the attention of someone.

Kaia tried to stay calm by counting her strokes.

1, 2, breathe.

When she was near the fight, she could see that the male from 9 had pushed Peeta against the silver platform and tried to punch him, but the young man from district 12 fought back. Peeta saw her once more and frowned when he recognized her after a second.

Kaia didn't hesitate. She put her right arm around the neck of the muscular tribute and tried to pull as hard as she can. She had to get him away from Peeta, even if she drowned trying.

At first, her plan worked. The opponent let go of Peeta who desperately sucked oxygen into his lungs. But only a second later the man turned around and put his hands around her throat. Kaia tried to pull his big hands away and scratched him anywhere she could reach him. She was getting lightheaded and concentrating was getting harder and harder. She couldn't die now! Peeta was still in danger and she had made a promise to try to survive. She couldn't die in the initial bloodbath. Kaia wouldn't allow that.

With a scream, she rammed her finger into the determined eyes of her attacker. He groaned but ripped her around angrily. He had her pressed against the cool metal as he did with Peeta before. He hurled her head against the platform and Kaia saw stars. It felt like her head exploded and she couldn't see straight anymore.

"No!", Kaia could hear a male voice screaming. She felt the head of their enemy crushing against hers and moaned in pain. When she opened her eyes again, she could see that Peeta was in a similar position as her before. He was behind the man from 9 and had him in a headlock. When the big hands left her body, she slapped and punched every inch of him she could reach. Intuition and adrenaline were taking over. She was completely on survival instinct and wasn't able to think further that the next slap.

"Peeta!"

She knew that voice! Only for a second, she looked the path beside them and once again saw Mags desperately pointing to them. Finnick and Katniss were running towards the old lady.  
When Peeta pulled the attacker away for a moment, Kaia tried to climb on top of the silver pedestal. 9 was trying to grab her leg and pull her back down, but she kicked him right in the face when she tried to get out of his grip. A sick crunch could be heard, and blood was streaming out of his nose. Peeta utilized the confused state of the man and pushed him underwater. But the man from 12 also went with him.

A cannon.

A body was floating in the water and Kaia was reminded of her little brother. Her throat was suddenly tied up and she was ready to fight once more if their attacker survived.

But a second later, a head with familiar blond hair surfaced. Peeta was breathing loudly and looked at her with exhausted eyes. Kaia couldn't describe how relieved she felt. They did it.

"Peeta? You okay?", a familiar, deep voice asked. Kaia pulled her head around and saw Finnick swimming towards them. Even though he asked after the young man, his eyes were fixed on her. She felt spent as she sat on the podium.

"Yeah.", Peeta stammered.

Finnick nodded relieved. His wet hair was falling into his ocean-green eyes.

"Come. We have to get away from here!"

The victor from 4 helped her down back into the water and looked into her eyes. The concern was clear in his eyes, so Kaia nodded and hoped that that would appease him.

The three of them swam towards the two women who were nervously waiting for them. Katniss locked her gaze onto Peeta, but occasionally, she turned and looked at the Cornucopia. She clearly was an experienced huntress. Katniss reached for Peeta to pull him onto the rocks and hugged him tightly.

Kaia was out of breath. The whole ordeal weakened her quite a bit. When she put her hands on the path and wanted to push herself up, she felt to hands at her waist. For a second, she was startled and was frightened that the man from 9 wasn't dead yet. But when Finnick whispered near her ear she knew she was just paranoid.

"Up you go."

Without hesitating he sat her on the rocky path before he himself got out of the cool water. Mags gave him his impressive-looking trident while he tossed his hair back.

"It's better we hurry and leave. The careers occupied the Cornucopia and most weapons.", Finnick explained. Kaia looked towards the big cone and saw that he was telling the truth. The tributes from 1 and 2 were examining their weapons. Most surviving tributes had already fled so they weren't giving them any of their attention. He was already walking fast towards the dense jungle. He dragged Mags with him. The old lady smiled motherly at Kaia and patted her cheek before following her district partner.

Kaia pulled herself to her feet and wanted to chase them when a hand closed around her upper arm.

Even though the two tributes from 12 were also walking Peeta didn't let go. He looked intensely into her face before he said: "Thank you. You saved me. You didn't have to do that."

Kaia smiled hesitantly and patted him on his shoulder: "I would do it again. You don't have to thank me" When she looked at Katniss, she seemed relieved that Peeta was okay, but it was obvious, that she didn't know how to act around her. Haymitch told them that it would be hard work to gain the trust of the girl on fire. She didn't give it easily.

When the three of them caught up on Finnick and Mags they had already reached the edge of the forest and disappeared between the tall trees. Although they were running, they weren't as fast as they could have been. They all knew without speaking about it, that Mags couldn't keep up with a higher pace.

"Did he choke you?", Finnick suddenly asked. He and Mags were beside Kaia, while Peeta and Katniss were behind them whispering to each other. When they heard the question, they fell silent.  
Kaia's hand came up to her throat. It felt sensitive to the touch and when she swallowed her spit. She knew that tomorrow there would be a ginormous bruise.

"Yes.", she answered. Only then she noticed that her voice sounded a bit raw.

Peete groaned guiltily: "I'm so sorry. You shouldn't have tried to help me."

Kaia turned her head around so she could look at him. Maybe he would believe her the second time she said it: "I already told you that I would help you again in a heartbeat. You don't have to feel sorry. It was worth it!"

For a moment it was silent before Katniss came up to her: "I got a few knives before we ran from the Cornucopia. I've heard that you're quite good with knives. I have my bow, so I won't need most of them." Without explaining any further, she held up three knives with different lengths. Finnick whistled impressed.

Kaia was surprised. After all the conversations with Haymitch and the other tributes that joined their alliance, she had thought, that Katniss wouldn't be this friendly to anyone besides Peeta.  
The girl from 12 didn't say anything else and kept walking deeper into the overgrown jungle.

Kaia stared at the knives before putting two onto her belt while she kept the longest in her hand. When she looked up, she met Finnick's beautiful eyes. He smiled his charming smile, but it seemed honest to her. Not like one of the fake ones.

As she walked past the tall man he whispered: "Well done, love."


End file.
